A RACE FOR LIBERTY 



OB, 



Mj^ 






Of Compaay A, 32i Reg't, O. V. I. 



M'lTH AN INTEODUCTION BY 

W. B. DERRICK. 



^•Treason and inurder over kept' tcgsthcr, 

As tR-o yoliQ-dovils STrora to cither's purpose." 



TrELLgYILLE,.0. 

w. a; FOSTER, ?Ri:^TTri^. 

1887. ~ 



^u? 






^^ 



Entered according' to Act of Congress, in the year 1<5G7, by 

AVILLIAM BUPiSON, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United 

States for the Northern District of Ohio. 

m. WALTER R. smiwm. 

JAM, 2a 1948 



IMTRODUCTION. 



Whatever tends to toacli u lessori of usefulness, and 
keep alive a spirit of patriotism and laudable ambition, has 
its missioD, and should be encouraged. 

The dark: days of the Great Rebellion have passed 
away ; and light is spreading throughout our favored 
land. Now that peace has been restored to our lately dis- 
traeted country, we should calmly survey the past, with 
unprejudiced minds, and profit by its teachings. 

The late war filled the land with blood and tears un- 
precedented In the annals of history. Households were 
broken up,' and thousands of dear ones were swept into 
tlie whirlpool of destruction, leaving thousands more to 
mourn their untimely loss. Great God ! what sufferings 
the people'^ endured ! May the terrible scourge of civil 
^var never again devastate our beloved country. 

The following pages have not l)cen written through any 
spirit of revenge or acrimony, for wrongs endured by the 
author while a prisoner in the hands of' the rebels, nor 
from any political stand-point, save that of a broad Na- 
tional basis— an unswerving devotion to the Union, and 
the flag of his country. It is simply the narrative of one 
unknown to literary fame, and who has not, through for- 
tune or favoritism, been prompted to some high-sounding 



lY IXTEODUCTIOX 

titlr; in milltarj rank ; lut, as a Prlyate, lie teKs the Btory 
of his trials and triumplis in a manner at once pkasiDg and 
profitable. 

That the reader may know somethmg of the author, 
TTc tak3 pleasure in introducing him, by giving the follow- 
ing brief sketch of his life : 

William Burson was born, Kovember24tb, 1S3S, near 
Sslinvillc, in Columbiana Count}-, Ohio, \7here he has re- 
Bided the greater part of his life. His father, John Bun- 
60^^, emigrated from Loudon County, Virginia, to this 
place, in the year 1806. He vras the father of ssYcntecu 
chililren — ten boys and ssven girls — ^^^-as twice married — 
had ten children to his first wife, and seven by his last. — 
He was a farmer by occupation, but a zealous worker, in 
the cause of Christ, and labored as a minister, for near fifty 
years, Kc died, October, 186J, aged eighty-six years. — 
William was raised a farmer, and his advantages for ac- 
qu'ring a good education, were limited ; yet he improved 
such oporUmities as fell in his way, and thus gained much 
useful knowledge. The means of acquiring knowledge 
are not confined wholly to schools and colleges, but may 
hd found in the lo\Yly hut, on the broad fields, or wherev- 
er there is found an enquiring inind. Lessons of greatest 
value are written by the hand of Nature on every leaf and 
flower, and arc whigpercd in every zephyr. To these 
teachings our young friend owes much of his success and 
happiness in life. Being of an ingenious turn of mind, he 
learned the carpenter trade, in Avhich business he took 
gi-eat delight. He vras married to Miss Rebecca A. Bill- 
man, in November, 1857, and was living in Wellsvill?, 
Ohio, at the time of the breaking out of the rebellion. — 
Fcgllng that his country needed his services, he sacrificed 
his home cndearmants and i)ersonal interest, and enlisted, 
October 3d, 1861, in Co. H, 19th Regiment, Ohio Vojun- 



i^"rKODrcTio:>r. 



t ccr Iiifantry, which regiment "was recruited at Arhance, 
Ohio, and commanded by Colonel — now Brig. Gen. SAir- 
rzL Beatty. The regiment moved, in November, from 
Alliance to Camp Dennison, where it was armed, and 
;;Gon after reported to Ges. Buell, at Louisville, Ky., 
and took part in the campaign in Kentucky and Tenncc- 
B:e. Tui^ BuESON was taken sick at Columbia, Tenn., 
April 1st, 1862, and was sent back tp the hospital at l\asa- 
viUe, thence to Camp Dennison, Ohio, where he was dis- 
charged for physical disability, August 22d, 1862. He 
then returned heme much broken down in health. I'n- 
dcr the salutary influences of rest and home comforts, his^ 
health soon revived, and he assisted in raising a company 
of National Guards, and was commissioned First Lieuten- 
ant of the company by Gov. Tod. Seeiug no prospect of 
the National Guards being called into service, he resigned 
his commission of Lieutenant, and enlisted as private, in 
Co, A, 32d Reg., O. V. L, on February 9th, 1804. Yre 
leave him now to tell the story of his adventures in the 
South himself, and feel assured that the reader will b3 
pleasantly entertained. Since, his return to the free, en- 
lightened North, where Yankee ingenuity is found at 
woHK, in almost every department of labor, easing the 
toils of men. Me. BuESo:^r has invented the telegeaph 
ciiUEN — a novelty in the butter-making line, that seems 
destined to supercede all other Churns, for its practicabil- 
ity, Blmplicity, durabiUty and cheapness. It was patented 
accut the time the Great Atlantic Cable was successfully 
laid, and bearing the name of the Telegraph Chuen, will 
doubtless win for its- ingenious inventor the reputation of 
Public Be:sefactoe. 

W. B. D. 
HammondsviUe, 0., April, ISGT. 



CONTENTS. 



(CHAPTER I. 

The Situation ; Sherman's Army ; Johnston'3 Army ; ^Var 
riouds ; Military Movements ; Destruction of Rebel Proper- 
ty ; Unfortunate Delay ; Smith's Retreat j Heavy Skirmish- 
ing; Fort rillow Ma??acre ; The Author Enlists; Leaving 
Home, 

5—15 



CHAPTER IT. 

■ outhward -bound ; Ordered to report for Duty; Grandeur of 
Sherman's Army; Onward to Atlanta; Topography of the 
<^ountry ; Timely arrival of the Seventeenth Corp? ; Skirmish- 
ing; Rebel "Works on Brush Mountain Stormed and Captur- 
ed ; Johnston again Entrenched ; Kenesaw Mountain ; Sher- 
man R,epulsed ; Rebels Retreat ; Johnston Succeeded by 
Hood ; Vigorous Operations ; In sight of Atlanta ; Heavy 

Battle: My Capture. 

16—24 



yni CONTENTS. 

CKAPTSPvIIL 

A Gloomy Prospect ; Colloquy with a Rebel Officer ; Atlanta ; 
Rebel Provost Marshal; Prisoners coming in; Ordered to 
East Port ; Our Rations ; March to Grimn ; The Missing Ma- 
jor; The "Chattanooga Rebel"; Uailroad Accident ; Arrival 

at Andei-3onviliC ; Observations by tho way. 

25— SI 



CHAPTER IV. 

Esamination of Prisoners; Private Property " ConSccated ; 
Capt. Wirz and Gen. Winder ; Georgia Militia; Entrance 
into Andcrsonvillo ; Pitching our tent ; DIrferoat Styles of 
Quarters ; EarroAving in the Ground ; Defences of the Prison ; 
Vvator; Hospital; Anxious Eaeplry ; Old Aoquaintaaco3 ; 

Sutlering ; Police Organization. 

32—39 



CHAPTER V. 

Su5"ering3 of the Prisoners; Demoralization; Religious Exercis- 
es ; Tho Priest ; Employment of the Prisoners ; Rebel Nowa- 
l)aper3 ; Attempt to Escape ; Reports of an Exchange ; Lcsr- 
ing Andersonville ; Tho Secret Out ; Unexpected Syaqmthy ; 
Arrival at Florence; New Prison ; No Rations ; Planning an 
Eicipe : The Stampede ; Oar Race Begun. 



40—49 



CONTENTS. IZ 

CHAPTER YI. 

Exciting scone; Lisperoing in Sinall Sriuai-s; Guide Choson ; 

, Eating Grapes; DiScuIti^s and Dangor; Crossiag tbo Great 

Fccdeo ; Interposition of ProvidQnco ; Our Visilanca ;' Dis- 

^ -rod by a Priend'j African; Characteristic Conversation ; 

; nelj Aid. 

50—57 



-CHAPTER Yir. 

Ta2 ^Yet Season ; Cliased hj Eloodbouuds ; Sai Accident ; 

Corn-blado Shelter; Substitulo foraCompass; Kegro Hos- 

jitallty; In North Carolina; An Old Log School H-ouso ; 

Uawolcomo Visitors ; Dreadful Storm ; Tho Turpentine Rs- 

gion ; Secret Union Organization ; Mooting Rebel Soldiers ; 

Quaker Settlement ; A Puzzling Question. 

53-^7 



CHAPTEE YIII. 
A Union Lady ; Prices of Produce and Goods ; More Union 
Pooplo; A Barbarous Transaction ; A Ileroino ; Successful 
FemalG Disguiss; The II. 0. A.; Southern Prescription; 
Crossing Deep Eiver ; Marching Along ; Old Battle Ground ; 
Tlio Yadkin Paver ; A Priendly Colored Ferryman ; " Carry- 
inz Vv'atsr on Both. Shoulder."!." 



X CONTESTS. 

CHAPTER IX. 

A Dangerous Crossing; Climbing tho I^Ioantains ; Beautiful 
Landscape; On tho Wrong Road; Deserters and Conscripts ; 
Negro Assiataace J Slaves Desire' for Freedom; Contemplate 
Freeing Thorn j A Siigbt Altercation; Baptist Electing; 
Home Guards; Plans Frustrated; Jlountamecrs ; Oa tho 

Top of tho Blue Kidgo ; E-o -captured. 

68—70 



CHAPTER X. 

Unhappy Feelings ; Our Captors ; A Ptelative of Mrs, Lincoln 

and Gov. Tod ; Aa old Flint-lock RLflo ; Conversation on the 

IFar ; Closely Watched ; On the Back Track ; " Playing off;" 

A "Good Samaritan ;" Locked Out ; Pt,o-escape ; On ray Ptaco 

Again. 

86—93 



CHAPTER XL 

Sour Apples; Seeking Information; Union Aid; New Rivor ; 
Attempt to Take a Horse; Mlsfortunos ; Captured Again j 
Confab with Guards; Exciting Rumors ; An Old Rebel ; Ex- 
torting Information ; My Opinion of Rt-bols and Their 

Cauio. 

y-1— 101 



co^'TEyTS. XI 

CHAPTER XII. 

Rebel Cacap ; Jeff. Davis' Goslings ; Unionists iu Disguis* ; 

My Destination; Guards; Planning an Escape; Boone; 

More Yankee Prisoners; Gaarding Us at Night; Convar- 

sation with Guard ; Breakfast Ready ; Prepared for an 

Emergency ; Eccapicg Again. 

102—109 



CHAPTER XIII. . 

Fast Racing; Resting; Nick's Story; Ilard Traveling; Sub- 
sisting on Chestnuts; Diiiagreeable Situation; In Luck; 
Corn, Pumpkins and Apples; Our Pass; Playin^'Home Guard;* 
Strategy ; Our Suspicions ; la the "lYoods Again. 

no— 117 



CHAPTER XIY. 

€ araping in a Cove ; An Incredulous Vv^ido^r ; A •' Fussy" Old 
Man; A Supper ''As is a Supper;" Frightful Drean^.s; 
Falling in with Deserters and Conscripts ; Wayside Incidents ; 
LimestonoCove ; Sensation Rumors : Comfortable Quarters! ; 

Raiding Espedition. 

118—123 



SII O0XTEXT3. 

CHAPTEB Xy. 
Raiding; Two of Oar Men Capturod ; A Skirmlsli ; Tho IJon 
Heleased ; Helping Ourselves ; Ketura to Limostono Ccro ; 
A Cleror raraily ; Our lITumbcv Increased ; Greasy Covo j A 
Tiireatening Arpoct ; A '' Galvanized Unionist;" Tho Fed- 
ci-n,! Lines Readied; Our Appoaranco ; At tlio End of My 
Raoo ; Closing Ecmarlis. 

124—181 



A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 



CHAPTER r. 

The Situation ; Sherman's Army ; Johnston's Army ; War 
Clouds ; Military Movements ; Destruction of Rebel Proper- 
ty ; Unfortunate Delay ; Smith's Retreat; Heavy Skirmish- 
ing ; Fort Pillow Massacre ; The Author Enlists ; Leaving 
Home. 

Beforb entering upon a personal account of my Cap- 
ture, Imprisonment and Escape, we will take a cursory 
view of the military ^tuation at or about the time of my 
enlistment. 

During the fall and winter of 1803-4, but few military 
movements of importance occurred. Each army, hoM'cv- 
er, though apparently inactive, kept vigilantly watching 
the other, with feelings embittered by the protracted strug- 
gle ; and ample preparations were being made on both 
sides for an early, active, and decisive spring campaign. 

About the middle of March, 1864, Grant, wiio had re- 
cently been appointed Lieut. General and Commander-in- 
Chief, turned over to Sherman the command of the Mili- 
tary Division of the Mississippi, comprising the Depart- 
ments of the Cumberland, Tennessee and Ohio. The 
grand concerted plan of the spring campaign was thus raa- 



6 A KAOE FOE LIBEKTT. 

tured — the part assigned to Sherman bemg to push the 
enemy steadily back upon Atlanta, and if possible destroy 
his communications between the Atlantic and Gulf States, 
while the available force in the East was to be brought to 
bear against the main rebel army in Virginia under Lee. — 
All movements of the Union forces were to be held sub- 
sidiary to these. Sherman immediately commenced with 
energy the perfecting and enlargement of his communica- 
tions between Nashville and Chattanooga — his primary 
and secondary bases — and to accumulate at the latter place 
such amount of subsistence and military stores as would 
render him independent of Nashville, should the railroad 
communications between those two points be severed by 
rebel raiding parties. By the end of April this work was^ 
fiuccessfully accomplished, and the great Army of the 
West was prepared to move from Chattanooga at the pre- 
cise hour, if necessary, that the array of the Potomac should 
cross the Rapidan on its march towards Richmond. On 
April 27th, Grant notified Sherman to be ready to move 
by about May 6tb. 

The force under General Sherman's command, for offen- 
sive purposes, was as follows : 

Akmy of the Cumberland, Major General Thomas, 
Commanding — comprised the Fourth Corps, General 
Howard, the Fourteenth Corps, General Palmer, and the 
Twentieth Corps, General Hooker. Infantry 54,568, 
Artillery, 2,377, Cavalry, 8,828. Total 60,773 men, and 
130 guns. 

Army of the Tenn^essee — Major General MoPher- 
SON, Commanding — comprised the Fifteenth Corps, Gen- 
eral Logan, the Sixteenth Cor})s, General Dodge, and la- 
ter in the campaign, the Seventeenth Corps, General 
Blair. Infantry, 22,437, Artillery, 1,404, Cavnlvy 024.— 
Total, 24,465 men, and V)6 gum,' 



militakt movements. 7 

Army of the Ohio — Major General Sohofield, Com- 
MASfDiNG, — comprised the Twenty-Third Corps, General 
Schofield. Infantry, 11,183, Artillery, 679, Caralry, 1,^ 
m9. Total, 13,541 men, and 28 guns. 

These several armies making a grand aggregate of 
eighty -eight thousand one hundred and eighty-eight In- 
fantry, four thousand four hundred and sixty Artillery, 
and six thousand one hundred and forty-nine Cavalry ; or 
ninety-eight thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven 
men, and two hundred and fifty-four guns. These lay a 
few miles south of Chattan^foga, in the beginning of May, 
in supporting distance of each other. 

The rebel army, under command of Lieutenant Gener- 
al J. E. Johnston, whose reputation as a Confederate com- 
mander was second only to that of Gen. R. E. Lee, com- 
prised the Corps of Hardee, Polk, and Hood, and the cav- 
«iilry division of Wheeler, and numbered about fifty thous- 
•■and infantry and artillery, and ten thousand cavalry, 
mostly veteran troops, and lay in and about Daiton, on 
the railroad connecting Chattanooga with AtlantOr— the ad- 
vance being at Tunnell Hill, a station thirty miles south 
of Chattanooga. 

Such were the strength and positions of the contending 
armies. The Federals outnumbered the Confederates 
greatly, and were better equipped, but labored under the 
disadvantage of being in a hostile, inhospitable country, 
and being the attacking party, of having to assault strong- 
ly fortified positions. 

A short time prior to this grand organization and con- 
centration of forces, a few ominous war clouds were ob- 
servable in the 8outhwest as portentious of the coming 
storm. During January, 1864, the rebels sent several ex- 
peditions into Tennessee. Johnston's Brigade, of Rhoddy's 
command, crossed the Tennessee Rjyer at Bainbridge, 



8 A EACE FOE LIBEKTT. 

threi miki bekw Florence, and at Newport Ferrv, six 
mile» from the name point, intending to make a junction 
with a brigade of Infantry "which was expected to cross 
the river at Lamb and Brown's Ferry, and thence proceed 
to Alton's, to capture the Union force there. An engage- 
ment ensued, in which fifteen rebels were killed and quite 
a number wounded and taken prisoners; our loss was 
ten wounded. 

At the close of January, Gen. Rosecrans was assigned 
to the Department of Missouri, and Gen. Schofield as- 
sumed command of the Tw^jJ^v-Third Corps, constitut- 
ing the Army of the Ohio. On February 3d, a strong col- 
umn, composed of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps, 
under command of Sherman, took up an easterly line of 
march from Vicksburg, following the line of the South- 
western Mississippi Railroad. The object was to strike 
Meridan, Selma and Montgomery; and open double rail- 
road and double river communications with the Gulf. — 
The Pearl, Tombigby and Alabama rivers — leading into 
the heart cf Mississippi and Alabama — would thus be 
thrown open to our Gunboats, and the great centre of pro- 
ductive forces would be seized. At the same time that 
Sherman's force was pursuing the line indicated, a pow- 
erful Cavalry column twelve thousand strong, under Gen- 
erals Smith and Grierson, was to set out from Corinth and 
Holly Springs, to follow the Mobile and Ohio Railroad 
southward. On February 5th, the two corps, under Gen- 
erals McPherson and Hurlbut were across the Big Black 
River, and advanced, driving the rebel General Polk be- 
fore them, and inflicting immense damage upon the ene- 
my. At Meridan, the great railway centre of the South- 
west, which Sherman reached about the middle of the 
month, he destroyed the arsenal filled with valuable stores 
and ammunition, and rendered useless a number of mills. 



Bijity miles of track besides depots, bridges, and rolling 
stock, were thoroughly destroyed, and several towns 
burned or desolated. Having waited at Meridau a week 
without news of Smith, Sherman returned to the Missis- 
sippi, carrying v;ith him over eight thousand liberated 
slaves, and an immense amount of spoils. The resistance 
offered by the rebels was so trifling that the tot&l Union 
loss was less than two hundred. 

It being essential to the complete achievement of Gen- 
eral Sherman's plan of campaign that the Cavalry column 
should move forward promptly, every precaution wag 
taken to make it irresistible; and to render assurance 
doubly sure General Smith, Grant'sChief of Cavalry^ was 
detailed to supervise operations. All these precautions, 
however, failed to accomplish the desired end. The col- 
umn, which was to have left Colliersville on February 
3d — the day that Sherman left Vicksburg — was detained 
until February 11th, in order to enable General Tearing 
to bring up his brigade. This delay, it seems waa suflQ- 
cient to enable Forrest, '^Rhoddy and Chambers to concen- 
trate their forces against him ; and it gave Sherman a 
Avhole week the start, making a conjunction more diffi- 
cult. After the expedition did finally start, various cir- 
cumstances conspired to delay and oppose its progress. — 
It was seven days in reaching Okalona, one hundred and 
thirty miles southeast of Memphis — an average of but lit- 
tle more than fifteen miles per day from Colliersville, the 
point of departure. On the 19th it marched to Egypt, a 
station about seven miles south of Okalona, and here des- 
troyed a large quantity of rebel stores. The expedition 
was then divided — one column, under Grierson, going 
through Aberdeen on the east side of the railroad, tho oth- 
er on the w^est side, and the two concentrating nt Prairie 
Station, about seventeen miles south of Okalona, wlitre 



10 A EACH FOR LIBEKTT. 

large quantities of rebel stores were destroyed. Grierson 
met with considerable opposition near Aberdeen. On the 
20th, Forrest was reported in force at West Point, and 
on the 21st, our forces encountered him at that place. — 
Smith found Forrest, Lee, Rhoddj and Chambers com- 
bined against him, and after a heavy tight he was com- 
pelled t6 fall back, leaving three field-pieces— four pound- 
er steel guns — on the field. These were spiked, and all 
the ammunition was saved. In his retreat, Smith burnt 
every trestle on the Memphis and Ohio Railroad, and des- 
troyed mil.es of track and large quanties of corn. There 
was heavy fighting in the rear throughout the 22d. The 
rebels moved on each fiank with the evident design of 
reaching the Tallahatchie in advance of our force, and 
then uniting, to prevent our crossing, and to capture the 
whole command ; but by forced marching- Smith passed 
both flankmg columns, and, marching all night, crossed 
safely to New Albany. Skirmishing was kept up through 
the 23d and 24th. On the 25th the expedition reached 
ColUersville, about twenty-five miles cast of Memphis. — 
The rebels now became more active. Forrest, having 
succeeded in defeating the expedition of Grierson and 
Smith, recruited his forces in Mississippi, and on March 
22d, appeared suddenly at Bolivar, Tennessee, with a 
force of six or seven thousand strong. He advanced rap- 
idly against Union City, which was garrisoned by about 
four hundred men under command of Colonel Harkins, 
and made eeveral ineffectual charges against the slight 
earthworks which surrounded the town ; but finding it 
impossible to carry them by assault, Forrest demanded 
the surrender of the garrison, thi-eatening to bombard the 
town unless the demand was complied with. Harkins, 
it is said, against the wishes of the garrison, surrendered 
pn the 24th, juat before the arrival of a large Union force 



FOirr PILLOW ilASSAC^RE, H^ 

from Cairo, under command of General Brayman, who 
was marching to his relief. From Union City, Forrest 
marched northward across Kentucky, and on the after- 
noon of March 26th, made an attack on Paducah, havuig 
tlrst demanded the surrender of the fort, which was re- 
fused by Colonel Hicks, Avho was in command. The bat- 
tle lasted the whole afternoon, during which time the re- 
bels made four assaults but were foiled each time. Early 
in the evening they retired from the town but reappeared 
the next morning when Forrest sent in a request for an 
exchange of prisoners. This Hicks declined, and the re- 
bels, without further demonstrations, retired in the direc- 
tion of Columbus. Their loss was about three hundred 
killed and one thousand wounded. The rebel Brigadier 
General A. P. Thompson, was among the slain. 

^Maddened by the ill. success of a cause whose "chief 
corner stone " was slavery, an act of cruelty and diabol- 
ism, unparalleled in the history of the war, was perpe- 
trated by the rebels about this time, which caused an al- 
most universal outburst of horror and indignation through- 
out the loyal States, Rebel commanders had frequently 
threatened to raise the *' black flag," carry on a war of 
extermination, and give no quarter in case of refusal to 
surrender, but it was reserved for the notorious rebel 
General Forrest, treacherous and unprincipled, and of re- 
lentless cruelty, to carry this threat into execution. On 
April 12th, Forrest appeared before Fort Pillow on the 
Mississippi River, a work of moderate size, mounting six 
guns, and garrisoned by about five hundred and fifty men, 
of whom two hundred and sixty were colored troops, the 
whole being commandec^ by Major Bradford, of the Thir- 
teenth Tennessee Cavalry. At sunrise, the Union pickets 
were driven in, and from that time until two or three 
o'clock in the afternoon the rebels vainly endeavored to. 



i^ 



A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 



dislodge the garrison, who made a gallant defence, in 
which they were aided by the gunboat New Era, which 
from her position in the river, shelled the enemy vigor- 
ously. The rebels, failing in their attack, now resorted 
to their customary flags of truce. The first one conveyed 
a demand from Forrest for the unconditional surrender of 
the Fort. To this Major Bradford replied, asking to be 
allowed one hour with his officers and the officers of the 
gunboat. In a short time Forrest sent another flag of 
truce with a communication that he would allow Major 
Bradford twenty minutes in which to move his troops out 
of the fort, and if it was not done in that time an assault 
would be ordered. Major Bradford replied that he would 
not surrender. While this conference was being held, 
and during the time the flv^g of truce was flying, the re- 
bels, contrary to the usages of honorable warfare, but char 
acteristic of their conduct on several previous occasions, 
treacherously crept to a position from which they could 
overwhelm the garrison by a sudden assault. Captain 
Marshall of the gunboat, saw them advancing, into the 
ravine above the fort, and could have checked their pro- 
gress but refrained from firing, so as not to afford an ex- 
cuse for subsequent atrocities, should the fort be captured 
by the enemy. But like incarnate fiends, these blood 
thirsty beings knew no mercy. The Committee on the 
Conduct of the War, two members of which visited Fort 
Pillow and took testimony regarding the circumstances 
of its capture, gave the following account in their report : 
" Immediately after the second flag of truce retired, the 
rebels made a rush from the positions they had so treach- 
erously gained, and obtained possession of the fort, rais- 
ing the cry of ' No Quarter.' But little opportunity was 
allowed for resistance. Our troops, ))lack and white, 
threw down their arms and sought to escape by running 



JIIE AITHOK ENLISTS, IS 

tlown the steep bluft' near llie fort, and secreting them- 
selves behind trees and logs in the bushes, and under the 
brush: some even jumping into the river, leaving only 
their heads above the water as they crouched down under 
the bank. Then followed a scene of cruelty and murder 
without parallel in civilized warfare, which needed but the 
tomahawk and scalping-knife to exceed the worst atroci- 
ties ever committed by savages. The rebels commenced 
an indiscriminate slaughter, sparing neither age nor sex, 
white nor black, soldier nor civilian. The officers and 
men seemed to vie with each other in the devilish work. — 
Men, women, and even children, Avherever found, were 
deliberately shot down, beaten, and hacked witu sabres. — 
Some of the children, not more than ten years old, were 
forced to stand up and face their murderers while being 
shot. The sick and wounded were butchered without 
mercy, the rebels even enterhig the hospital buildings and 
dragging them out to be shot, or killing them as they lay 
there unable to offer the least resistance. All over the 
hillside the work of murder was going on. Numbers of 
our men were collected together in lines or groups and 
deliberately shot. Some were shot while in the river, 
while others on the bank were shot and their bodies lack- 
ed into the water ; many of them still living, but unable 
ta make exertions to save themselves from drowning. — 
Some of the rebels stood on the top of the hill or a short 
distance down its side and called out to our soldiers to come 
up to them, and as they approached, shot them down in 
cold blood, and if their guns or pistols missed fire, forcing 
them to stand there until they were again prepared to 
fire." 

Further particulars of this horrid massacre are given in 
this report, but we turn from the sickening details and 
have only cited the forgoing to show the demoniac ehar- 



14 A RA(^E FOi: T.ir.ERTY. 

acter of the rebels, into whose hands it was my lot subse- 
quently to foil. The rebels admitted the atrocious slaugh- 
ter, and while some gloated over it, others, ashamed to 
openly justify it, tried to excuse it in various,»w"a3's, and 
sought precedents in history where whole garrisons have 
been put to the sword, forgetting that such massacres have 
very rarely been committed among civilized nations, and 
only under the most aggravating circumstances, and that 
no such circumstances attended the present case. 

It was during these exciting, troublous times, when the 
Government was calling for help to crush out tlie rebellion 
that was trying to destroy the very life of the Nation, that 
I again eniisted, feeling it to be a duty I owed my (lod 
and my Country. 

I had enlisted, October ;3d, 186 J, in Company U, lUtli 
Kegiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantrj', and was in the cam- 
paign in Kentucky and Tennessee, under General Buell, 
but my health failing, I was discharged for physical disa- 
ability and returned home. Having regained mj^ health, 
I now enlisted, February 9th, 1864, in Company A, 32d 
Regiment, O. V. I. My Captain was William pic Allis- 
ter ; my Colonel, B. F. Potts. The regiment, after enjoy- 
ing veteran furlough, was ordered to report to General 
Sherman for duty. The time came for our departure. — 
To part with wife and little ones, home, and all their en- 
joyments and dear associations, for the uncertainties and 
hardships of a soldier's life, i^s a trying scene that none, 
save those who have experienced it, can fully realize. — 
How sadly we felt as we bade an affectionate farewell with 
our dearest friends and tried to choke down the sobs and 
keep back the tears that would intrude. But duty called 
and we felt that we must go. We knew that we had 
worK to do— the sanguinary work of a soldier — and we 
knew not that we would ever meet again around the fam- 



JOINS HIS COMPANY. 15 

ily circle. Breathing a silent prayer for the protection of 
my family and for strength to endure tlie privations and 
burdens it might be mine to bear, I joined my company 
and regiment and was numbered among the ''boysiu 
blue." 



CHAPTER II. 

Southward-bound ; Ordered to report for Duty ; Grandeur of 
Sherman's Army ; Onward to Atlanta ; Topography of the 
Country ; Timely arrival of the Seventeenth Corp? ; Skirmish- 
ing ; Rebel AVorks on Brush Mountain Stormed and Captur- 
ed ; Johnston again Entrenched ; Kenesaw Mountain ; Sher- 
man Repulsed ; Rebels Retreat ; Johnston Succeeded by 
Hood; Vigorous Operations; In sight of Atlanta; Heavy 
Battle ; My Capture. 

The mind, when time is given for reflection, becomes 
calm and resolute, and like the gnarled oak that grows 
more firmly rooted with each succeeding storm, gathers 
strength from ordinary trials to withstand the chilling blasts 
of adversity. 

After the pain of parting from home, nothing of special 
interest occurred for a few days. Our southward-bound 
journey was via Cincinnati. From Cincinnati we went 
to Cairo, Illinois. Left Cairo, April 28th, with the Fourth 
Division, Seventeenth Army Corps on transports for Clif- 
ton on the Tennessee River, which place we reached in 
three daj's after leaving Cairo. The expedition was com- 
manded by Brigadier General Gresham. From Clifton we 
marched to Pulaski, Tennessee, and thence to Huntsville, 
Alabama, wiiere we met the Third Division of the Seven- 
teenth Corps, commanded by Brigadier General Leggett, 
of Zanesville, Ohio. We staid but a few^ days at Hunts- 
ville when we started, via Decatur, Alabama, for Rome, 



SOrTHWAED BOrND. 



ir 



Georgia. The tAvo Divisions were under the command of 
Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair, of Mo. In due time wc reached 
Rome, without any serious interruption on our way. The 
Coi-ps passed forward the next day, and on the 8th t)f 
June reached General Sherman's Army, and was ordered 
to report for duty to General McPherson commanding the 
Army of the Tennessee. The next daj^ June 9th, wc 
marched to Big Shanty and took our position on the line, 
being on the extreme left of Gen. Sherman's Army. 

Of this grand army we have already spoken, but words 
seem meaningless and figures fail to convey to the reader's 
mind an adequate idea of its immensity and grandeur.— 
The vast multitude, martial music, tramp, tramp, tramp of 
soldiers, colors flying, horses neighing, cattle lowing, — 
and in time of battle— the rattling and tiring of musketry, 
booming of cannon, shouts of the victors, screams and 
moans of the wounded and dying can all be better imagin- 
ed than described, but must be witnessed to be realized. 

Sherman had been steadily pressing the rebels back from 
Tunnell Hill, through Rocky Faced Ridge, Buzzard's 
Roost, Dalton, Snake Creek Gap, Resacca, Kingston, 
Rome, Allatoona Pass, Pumpkin Vine Creek, Dallas and 
Lost Mountain. The rebels had signal stations at Lost 
Mountain, which is on the direct road from Dallas to Mar- 
ietta, seven miles from the latter place, and at Kenesaw 
Mountain, ten miles from Lost Mountain, a little east of 
north from it, on the railroad. These two points are de- 
tached peaks, overlooking the plain beyond, and connect- 
ed by a ridge, or series of low hills, and were the right and 
left of the rebels' position— their army stretching along the 
hills between the two points. Between Kenesaw and 
Lost Mountain and half a mile to the north, is Pine Moun- 
tain, a lesser elevation, constituting the apex of a triangle 
of which tlio other tw^o iiiny be said, to form Ww base.-- 



18 A EACE FOR LIBEKTT. 

These three hills and their connecting ridges were fortified 
and ajfforded an admirable defensive position against arr at- 
tacking army. 

The timely arrival, on the 8th of June, of the Seven- 
teenth Corps, in which it was my lot to be placed, com- 
pensated for Union losses in battle and by disease, and for 
garrisons left at Rome, Kingston and elsewhere, and en- 
abled Sherman to renew the attack upon his wary adver- 
sary with as strong a force as at the commencement of the 
campaign. On the next day, 9th, the army Avas put in 
motion once more for Atlanta. The order of advance was 
somewhat different from that previously observed, Mc- 
Pherson being shiited to the left wing and Schofield to the 
right while Thomas held the centre. McPherson was or- 
dered to move toward Marietta, his right on the railroad, 
Thomas on Kenesaw and Pine Mountains, and Schofield 
off" toward Lost Mountain ; Gerrard's Cavalry being on the 
left, Stoneman's on the right, while McCook looked to 
our rear and communications. 

We did not advance far until skirmishing commenced. — 
On the 11th our lines were close, and dispositions were 
made to break the line between Kenesaw and Pine Moun- 
tains. On the 14th, the rebel General Polk was killed, 
during a sharp cannonading, and on the morning th i 
loth Pine Mountain was found to be abandoned by the re- 
bels. Schofield and Thomas advanced and found them 
again stronglyMntrenched along the line of rugged hills con- 
nectmg Kenesaw and Lost Mountains. McPherson also- 
advanced his line, gaining substantial advantages on the 
left. On the centre, as vigorous operations were made as 
the nature of the ground would allow and an assault was 
ordered. The rebels abandoned Lost Moimtain and their 
long line of formidable breastworks connecting it with 
Kenesaw, on the 17t]i, to prevent being flanked by Scho-. 



KENKSAW MOUNTAIN. 19 

field who had wheeled around Pine Knob, and was prees- 
ing along the Dallas and Marietta road. 

While our forces had been so successfully at work upon 
the rebels' centre and left, McPhersou, on our left, had 
put them in a dangerous position on their right, prcssin:; 
them on that flank beyond Big Shanty and Brush Moun- 
tain. On the 20th, the Seventeenth Corps stormed the re- 
bel works on Brush Mountain and captured them with a 
few prisoners but without serious loss on our side. Skirm- 
ishing continued at all points, in dense forests of timber 
and across most difficult ravines, until the enemy was found 
again strongly posted and entrenched, on Kencsaw, hh 
right wing thrown back to cover Marietta and his left be- 
hind Nose's Creek, covering his railroad back to the Chat- 
tahoochee, which tmabled him to contract and strengthen 
his lines. 

Kenesaw Mountain is made up of two elevations, joined 
almost at their summits — one being about eight hundred 
and the other about nine hundred feet high. Viewed from 
the north side they have the appearance of two immense 
mounds surrounded at the base by gentle iiTcgularities of 
surface. The mountain rises gradually on the east side, 
describing almost a half circle, thence falling upon the 
west, about two hundred feet. This is joined by the other 
and rises to a still greater height and is somewhat more ir- 
regular. On the west side it loses itself rather abruptly in 
the small valley beyond, by which the country is deprived 
of its mountainous character. The base of the mountain 
is about four miles from east to west, and about one mile 
in breadth. Thick forests, brush, rock and boulders of 
various dimensions, cover its sides, rendering it almost im- 
possible to take it in front. Its defenses consisted of a line 
of works on the summit, upon which were erected several 
batteries. Along the sides, sinirle guns m^'C iQCated ut 



20 A EACE FOE LIBEETT. 

commanding points. The flanks of the mountain were 
held by heavy bodies of infantry and artillery, and its rear 
was protected in a similar manner. 

Our right forced its way across and two miles beyond 
Nose's Creek on the Dalton and Marietta road, and our 
centre worked up to the base of Kenesaw Mountain and 
had carried some points west of the mountain, thus secur- 
ing a position for an annoying enfilading fire upon the en- 
emy; but it was impossible for our wings to make a furth- 
er advance without cutting themselves loose from the cen- 
tre, whose further progress was stayed by the strong de- 
fence of Kenesaw Mountain. McPherson now worked his 
left forward, while Thomas wheeled his left on Kenesaw, 
connecting with McPherson, and Schofield pressed to the 
south and east along the old Sandtown road. 

On the 22d, as Hooker advanced his line, with Schofield 
on his right, the rebels. Hood's Corps, with detachments 
from others, suddenly sallied and made an attack, but the 
enemy was badly repulsed. Sherman now determined to 
risk an attack, and accordingly, on June 24th, issued or- 
ders for an attack to take place on the 27th. At the ap- 
pointed time the Seventeenth Corps circled the eastern 
point of the mountain and threatened the enemy's right. — 
The Sixteenth Corps, next on the right, assaulted the 
heights on the northern slope of the mountain ; the Fif- 
teenth Corps the western slope of the mountain, Davis' 
Division of the Fourteenth Corps and Newton's of the 
Fourth constituted the assaulting column, on the centre, 
supported on the right by Geary and Butterfield of Hook- 
er's Corps. Schofield was stationed on the extreme right 
of our line, and moved forward his whole force, driving 
the rebels from a line of light works. The object attempt- 
ed offered but a desperate chance of success. On the sum- 
mit of the rugged mountain peak, covered with a dense 



ACTIVE 0PERATI0X3. 21 

growth of uuderbrush, the rebels had stationed a battery 
of twelve guns, from which they maintained a withering 
cross-fire on om* troops engaged in forcing a passage up 
the steep sides of the mountain, and over the abatis and 
rifle-pits behind which the enemy lay sheltered. Our men 
could not possibly avoid a repulse. . The Union loss, as re- 
ported by General Logan, was three thousand five hund- 
red and twenty-one. Among the slain were Generals 
Barker and McCook. 

Undjiunted by this repulse, General Sherman resolved to 
try other means to accomplish the desired end. He ac- 
cordingly ordered Schofield to press on the left while i\Ic- 
Pherson, being relieved 1)y Garrard's Cavalry in front of 
Kenesaw, moved his whole army to the right, threatening 
Nickajack Creek and Turner's Ferry on the Chattahoochee, 
and Stoneman was sent to the river below Turner's. This 
caused the rebels to retreat on July 2d, and we were or- 
dered to advance. On the morning of July od. General 
Sherman entered Marietta. McPherson and Schofield 
were instructed to cross Nickajack and attack the enemy 
in flank and rear. The Seventeenth Corps noAV moved 
from extreme left to extreme right of Sherman's Army, 
touching the Chattahoochee River. The design was to 
catch Johnston, if possible, in the confusion of crossing the 
Chattahoochee, but this wary rebel General had foreseen 
and provided against this. His I'ront was covered Isy a 
good parapet and his tlank behind the Nickajack and liot- 
tenwood Creeks. On the -1th of July, Sherman pushed 
a strong skirmish line down the main road, capturing the 
entire line of the enemy's pits and made strong demonstra- 
tions along Nickajack Creek and about Turner's Ferry. — 
This had the desired effect, and tlie next morning the ene- 
my was gone. He took a new position behind a line of 
Uiiusual strength beyond tlu' Cbattahoochee n.nd covering 



22 A RACE FOE LIBEETY. 

the railroad and pontoon bridges. After con9iderabl6 
skirmishing and picketing across the river, the Corps mov- 
ed and crossing the river some distance above the railroad 
bridge, took position again on the left, near Decatur. A 
change being made in the Corps, our regiment now formed 
a part of the First Brigade, under command of Colonel B. 
F. Potts, and of the Fourth Division, commanded by Gen- 
eral Gresham. 

The long retreat of Johnston which brought him to the 
south side of the Chattahoochee, and within eight miles of 
Atlanta, caused vehement demands to be made at the south 
that he should be relieved of his command ; and, on July 
17th, he was succeeded by General Hood. More vigorous 
operations were demanded by the Southern people, who, 
in their impatience overlooked the fact that Johnston had 
strongly opposed Sherman from Tunnell Hill to the Chat- 
tahoochee, without himself sustaining any serious disaster, 
and that Sherman's superior forces had enabled the Union 
army to press steadily on, under tlie flanking process, until 
Atlanta was in danger. Hood was to adopt a new offen- 
sive policy, but no additional means were provided to car- 
ry it out. 

At the same time, July 17th, Slierman, having rested 
and recruited his army, resumed his forward movement. — 
On the 20th, all the armies had closed in converging to- 
ward Atlanta, and we crossed the railroad near Decatur 
and moved forward, but did not advance far until we were 
greeted by a few shells from the rebel artillery. After as- 
certaining their position, our column was formed into line 
and charged forward until the rebel skirmishers were driv- 
en back, when we toolv position and commenced throwing 
up fortillcations. On the morjiing of the 21st, as we were 
busy working in tlie ditches, an order came to charge the 
rebel works. >Spades and picks were dropped, tlie muskQtti 



FIGHTING AT ATLANTA. 23 

seized and the charge was made ; but being unable to ac- 
complish our object, we were obliged to fall back to our 
works, not however without leaving a great many dead and 
wounded on the field. 

In the evening we moved farther to the left, being then 
in sight of Atlanta. During the night strong fortifications 
were built. The morning of the 22d was serene, and all 
nature looked beautiful, but it was soon apparent that 
something unusual was going on ; for every few minutes 
a General and his Staff would ride along the line inspect- 
ing the works with an air of uneasiness. About ten o'clock, 
A, M., the pickets on our left commenced firing. Closer 
and louder came the reports of their guns, and it was evi- 
dent that they Avere falling back. Soon the bullets of the 
enemy began to reacli us, but were not coming in the an- 
ticipated direction, for instead of coming directly in front of 
us, they were coming on our flank, completely raking our 
lines. Nearer and nearer came tlic sound of musketrj-, 
and yell upon yell broke forth from the infuriated, would- 
be-victorious rebels. The combined rattling of musketry, 
booming of aililleiy, and the yelling and charging of the 
rebels gave an appearance of Pandemonium, or as though 
all the hosts of darkness had been let loose upon us. A 
part of our forces had changed front, and stood ready ^^'ith 
strong determination to check the charge of the rebels. — 
As soon as they WT're well in sight, our men opened upon 
them with such a withering fire that their lines were quick- 
ly broken and somewhat demoralized. Some, liowcvcr. 
rushed matUy on, only to be halted and taken prisoners l»y 
the Union soldiers. The rebels soon rallied again 
and came charging upon us with such superior numbers 
that our lines were considerably broken and wera com- 
pelled to give way. They having got to our rear, so 
completely flanked us, that we were ol)liged lo cross our 



24 A RACE FOE LIBEETT. 

works, making our rear where our front liad been when 
the battle commenced. A line of battle had been held in 
reserve by the rebels between us and Atlanta. The rebels 
kept up a furious cannonading and the musketry made it 
anything but agreeable. Brave comrades were falling fast 
around us. Some wounded but slightly, others more se- 
verely, and some, alas ! falling in the cold embrace of 
death, the roar of artillery and rattle of musketry dying 
upon their ears forever. 

About ten o'clok in the forenoon, one of my comrades 
was severely wounded in the forehead and I was sent to 
help him off" the field and to procure some water for him. — 
When I had succeeded in getting him a short distance from 
the tumult of the battle, I left him under a large tree, there 
to remain until I could procure some water for him. Go- 
ing across a field, in the direction of Atlanta, I came to 
some of our pickets who were getting some water at a lit- 
tle brook. I immediately commenced filling my canteen, 
and as soon as I had done so, some videtts came running 
toward us, saying that the rebels were close after them. — 
The picket ofticer who was present said that escape was 
impossible. There was a deep ditch through which the 
brook ran. The oflacer told us to jump into this ditch ami 
give them the best we had. Obeying his command I 
jumped into the ditch and raised my gun to my shoulder. — 
I was about to dispatch a rebel captain who just that mo- 
ment came in full view, when half a dozen or more voices 
a litth; to my left exclaimed, " Throw down that gun, you 
(\~d rascal, you I'' Seeing half a dozen against one, I had 
not long to decide what to do. It was cither throw down 
ray gun, or run the risk of being killed outright ; so (iowa 
went my gun and I Avas ordered to the reui"; 



CHAPTER III. 

A Gloomy Prospect; Colloquy vrith a Rebel Officer; Atlanta; 
Rebel Provost Marshal ; Prisoners coming in ; Ordered to 
East Port ; Our Rations ; March to Griffin ; The Missing Ma- 
jor; The "Chattanooga Rebel " ; Railroad Accident ; Arrival 
at Andersonville ; Observations by the way. 

I WAS now a prisoner and in the hands of rebels wlio had 
no respect for the flag of their country — and 1)nt little re- 
gard for its defenders. Tlicir merciless treatment of Un 
ion prisoners on former occasions, and the well known fact 
that thousands of our brave boys were then famishing in 
rebel prison-pens, caused me to shudder, and sigh for lil)- 
erty. 

But I had little time for reflection. Being ordered 
to the rear, I had not gone far before I fell in with several 
others who had been taken i^risonei's, among whom was 
the picket offlcer. We were being hurried away toward 
Atlanta, when ascending a little hill, we came to a line of 
battle awaiting orders to move forward. It now struck 
me as to what the real object of the rel)els was in making 
the flank movement. It was to capture the Fo^ruth Di- 
vision entire of the Seventeenth Corps. But in tliis I saw 
they would be disappointed, for before the line of battle we 
had just passed would reach the scene of action, our lines 
would be restored, reinforcements sent forward from some 
other part of the line, and the rebels repulsed. A little 
further on we met two sections of artillery commanded 



26 A Race fofi liberty. 

by a Lieutenant who came rushing along as though the fate 
of the Confederacy depended entirely upon his exertions. — 
He would order his men to drive otf in one direction a lit- 
tle way, then countermarch them and go off in some other 
direction, seeming to be at a loss to know where to go, 
yet thinking that his services were needed somewhere, — 
Once he came galloping along behind me and yelled out, 
"Get out of the way, 'blue coat,' d — n you, I w^ould as soon 
ride over you as not." This remark gave me to know that 
he had not much respect for Union prisoners. As I step- 
ped to one side to let him pass he said : 

" Bay, Yank, how many men has old Sherman got out 
there ?" 

"I am not General Sherman's' Adjutant-General," I 
answered. 

" Is Sherman gwine to surrender to General Hood ?" he 
asked. 

" Not much," I replied. 

" How do you like General Hood's fighting?" said he. 

" I think he is getting into a bad scrape," said I. 

'' Rather impertinent," he replied, as he rode on. 

The city of Atlanta was soon reached when, I, with the 
other prisoners, some twenty in all, were ushered into tlie 
presence of the Provost Marshal, Col. Hill, who kept a 
register of all the prisoners — their name, rank, company, 
regiment, brigade, division, and corps. The Provost Mar- 
shal was a very fine looking man. He began to interro- 
gate the prisoners as to General Sherman's movements, 
number of his batteries and of his force generally ; but all 
the information he received did not amount to much, for 
the prisoners were loth to acquaint him with anything they 
knew. He appeared to be very sanguine of the success 
of Hood over Sherman, and exclaimed, " I will stake one 
hundred negroes that Sherman is driven back across the 



Chattahoochee, or has his army captured before to-morrow 
night." But his remarks had not much effect on the 
minds of the prisoners, for they had too much faith in their 
leader to believe that he could be so easily whipped. 

The prisoners kept coming in pretty fast — sometimes a 
squad of a dozen, and at otlier times fifty or a hundred. — 
But the most affecting sight to me was to see our flag car- 
ried, or rather trailed by rebel hands. Several stands of 
colors were brought in during the afternoon. To add to 
our sorrow, the sad intelligence reached us that General 
McPherson had been killed. From the roar of artillery 
and incessant rattle of musketry we knew the battle was 
raging terribl5\ Just about sundown we were ordered in- 
to line and started for East Port, a station on tlie railroad, 
six miles from Atlanta. There were, altogether, about 
three hundred of us. I happened to fall in with a former 
comrade named Lewis, — we had been comrades in camp, 
comrades in battle, and were now comrades in prison. — 
We reached East Point about ten o'clock at night and 
were turned into a half finished fort which served as a pris- 
on for us. The next morning our number was much in- 
creased by the arrival of more prisoners. A great many 
officers were among them — some Colonels, some Lieuten- 
ant Colonels, and a great many Majors, Captains and Lieu- 
tenants. Forty of my own regiment were there as pris- 
oners. Four of my own company, viz : Sergeant James 
Hill, and Privates Oliver Shook, Ja mes Lewis and my- 
self. The number of prisoners here was eighteen hundred. 
We were kept at East Port for three or four days. — 
Our rations were not very plenty nor of a very great vari- 
ety — they consisted of a little corn meal and bacon. Our 
stay at this place was very unpleasant, for we had no shel- 
ter of any kind and the hot sun almost scorched us in blis- 
ters. A rebel band would come near us about twice a day 



28 A HAOE FOK LIBERTY. 

and play "Tlie Bonny Bine Fla;^," '^Sonthern Marseilles," 
"Dixie," and other Sontliern airs. Whether they did this 
to taunt or amnse ns, I know not, but must say there were 
gome good musicians among them, and their playing anms- 
ed us very much. 

On the morning of the 2Gth, we were ordered to prepare 
to march. As the cars w^ere all in use, moving the 
wounded from, and supplies to, Atlanta, we would be 
compelled to march the whole, or part of the way, to An- 
dersonville — that place of which we had heard so often, 
and of which we knew so little, but of which we were in 
a fair way to find out something about it. Accordingly, 
the order was given to fall into ranks, four abreast ; and as 
we filed out of prison they were very careful in counting 
us. The guards who were to take charge of us were tlie 
Fifty-Fourth Va., and Third Tenn., troops. As we 
marched along I had several opportunities of conversing 
with the guards, and I found a pretty strong Union feeling 
existing among them. They had lost so many of their 
men by desertions that neither regiment numbered more 
than three or four hundred ; and for fear they would all 
desert, they were sent to the rear to do provost duty. 

During the day we passed through several small towns 
and villages. Every time we entered a town our boys 
would strike up "Hail Columbia," "Rally Round the 
Flag," and such other patriotic airs as best suited them. — 
The first day we marched about fifteen miles and camped 
on a little brook. The officers of tlie guard would count 
us as we passed into camp, but when we left this place they 
for some cause or other, did not count us. When we had 
gone four or five miles we were counted, and one of the 
l)rIsoncrs, a Major, like the old man's sheep, "came up 
missing." Some guards were sent back immediately to 
hunt up the missing Major. In due time they returned 



MARCHING TO pfilSON'. 29 

but without the jNIajor. They only found where he had 
been. He had found a small gutter which had been wash- 
ed in the bank of the stream where we Encamped, and had 
laid down in this rut, and some of his comrades covered 
him with brush and weeds. As soon as the coast was 
clear, he had sallied out and made tracks for some more 
secure abode. Whether he ever succeeded in reaching- 
the Federal lines or not, I am unable to say ; but this I 
know, when it became known among the prisoners, that 
he had escaped the best wishes of all went after him. 

The conduct of the citizens toward us as we mardieil 
along was in almost every instance becoming. They 
seemed to look upon us more with pity than anything like 
disrespect. They perhaps knew more of our fate than we 
did ourselves, and of the loathsome prison in which we 
were soon to be incarcerated. Nothing of particular inter- 
est transpired while on our march to Griffin, at which 
place some of the prisoners were put on the cars and the 
remainder went into camp for the night. Soon after we 
went into camp a severe rain storm came on, wetting us 
completely ; and just about the middle of the rain a wag- 
on load of corn bread came for us and was issued out to 
us during the storm, so, by the time we got it into our pos- 
session, it had more the appearance of pudding than 
bread. 

The next morning, seeing one of the guards reading a 
newspaper, I went to him and asked him if he would lend 
it to me when he would get through it. He said that he 
had read it and I could have it if I would watch the offi- 
cers and come to him when none of them were looking. — 
An opportunity soon occurred and I went to him, when 
he handed me a copy of the Chattanooga Rebel, the of- 
tice of which paper had been chased from its original 
home, and now found a transitory abiding place in the 



^0 A SACK fOn liBfeEfT. 

village of Griffiu, Ga. The paper coiltained an ai'ticle 
concerning the prisoners, stating that'they were a hale, 
hearty, well dressed, good looking set of fellows, and 
seemed to be pretty well supplied with "Greenbacks" 
and "Confederate Scrip," which last article was mostly 
counterfeit. I thought it did not make much difference 
whether it was counterfeit or genuine, as it woukVnot buy 
much at any rate. With it we could buy small green' ap- 
ples at two dollars a dozen, and beans or peas at from five 
to ten dollars for a hat full. 

We were now ordered to " fall in " and were marched 
to the railroad where we were crowded into stock'cars so 
closely that we had scarcely room to sit down. Soon the 
order, "all right,-' was given, the bell rang, the whistle 
screamed, the cars jerked, and away we sped. After go- 
ing ten or fifteen miles an axle of one of the cars broke, 
which had the effect to start the prisoners and guards to 
jumping off the train. By the time the train had stopped 
quite a number had jumped from the cars, and strange as 
it may appear, seven of the rebels were severely hurt, but 
not one Union prisoner received a scratch. Providence 
seemed to be on our side that time. This accident caus- 
ed a delay of several hours, until the engine could run to 
Macon and get another train. Some time after dark the 
train arrived, and getting aboard we were on our way 
again. During the night w^e reached Macon where the 
officers were separated from, and left us — they to remain 
in Macon, and we to go on to Andersonville. .The train 
lay at jNIacon until daylight when we were again]^put un- 
der way and reached Andersonville about noon, on July 
29th. 

The country through which we passed from Atlanta to 
Andersonville presents a most unfavorable appearance. — 
Scrubby red brush or pine timber generally covers the 



AT* ANDfiRSOJJViLtlii %V 

ground. The crops were very light — iii fact, blackber- 
ries were the best crop I noticed. The evil effects of slav- 
ery were apparent on every plantation. Orchards were 
unpruned and fence-corners grown up full of briars. But 
of all the places in this God-forsaii;en country, Anderson- 
ville seemed to be situated in the worst, wiiich uninviting 
spot, as if fit for nothing else, was chosen for the incar- 
ceration and destrtiction, by neglect and ill-usage, of Un- 
ion prisoners. And here was to Ik3 our destination, for 
how long a time God only knew. Whether we should 
ever he permitted to again behold the glorious banner of 
Liberty, and meet with loving friends in our cherished 
home in the far-away Free North, were questions that 
time alone could solve, yet fraught with the deepest inter- 
est to us. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Examination of Prisoners; Private Property ''Confiscated; 
Capt. Wirz and Gen. Winder ; Georgia. Militia ; Entrance 
into Andersonville ; Pitching our tent ; Different Styles of 
Quarters ; Burrowing in the Ground ; Defences of the Prison ; 
Water; Hospital; Anxious Enquiry ; Old Acquaintances ; 
Sutlering ; Police Organization. 

As soon as the cars stopped at Andersonville we were 
ordered to disembark, and were marched a short distance 
below the station where we were formed into two ranks to 
be examined. Several rebel sergeants came forward and 
commenced searching us. It soon became apparent that 
arms alone were not the only object of their search ; for 
whenever a watch or pm'se was found, it was immediate- 
ly transferred to the pockets of the rebels. Some of the 
boys seeing this unfairness on the part of the rebels, com- 
menced hiding their watches and money in their shoes, in 
order that they might escape this unwarranted " confisca- 
tion. " Some of the prisoners who had not been robbed of 
their lilankets before coming to this place were now com- 
pelled to give them up to the rebels as government prop- 
erty. Fortune favored me, as I had succeeded in getting 
two blankets thus far with me — one woolen and one rub- 
ber blanket — and the man who searched the squad that 1 
was in did not seem to have any use for such articles, — 
at least he allowed the prisoners to retain them. While 
this examination was "oinG; on, an old Dutchman dressed 



EXAMIXATIOX OF PEISONEES. 38 

in white pants, and with au old rusty sabre hung to his 
side, kept moving about cursing and swearing all the 
while about " te tampt Yankees. " This man I soon as- 
certained to be the commander of the prison, and was 
called Captain Wirz. Another individual, dressed in an 
officer's suit of grey, was present, whom they called Gen. 
Winder. He was a ra'ther portly man, with gray hair, 
whiskers and mustache, and had that self-important, 
scornful look, so peculiar to the Southern chivalry. 

As soon as the examination was ended we were count- 
ed into detachments of two hundred and seventy. Each 
detachment was then divided into- three messes of ninety 
men each. A Sergeant was then chosen from among the 
prisoners for each mess, to take charge of the mess, at- 
tend to roll call, sick call, and draw rations. The time 
spent in the examination and organization occupied two 
or three hours, all of which time we were kept at atten- 
tion ; and some of the prisoners became so exhausted that 
they fell to the ground and only saved themselves from a 
thrust of Capt. Wirz's sword by being helped to their 
feet by some of their comrades. The organization being 
completed, we were turned over to the prison guards, 
which were composed of Georgia Militia. The militia 
were formed into ranks at oi^n order, —the lines reach- 
ing from where we stood to the prison gate. We were 
then marched through the open ranks of the rebels. As 
we passed through, I had a very good opportunity of see- 
ing them ; and a meaner, more uncouth looking set of 
••scalawags," styling themselves soldiers, it had never been 
my privilege to look upon. Hardly any two were dress- 
ed alike, unless it was in color — a sheep grey or butternut 
brown. All classes and conditions of men, from the strip- 
ling boy of fifteen to the old man of fifty-fiY<? or sixty, went 
to make u]) the hybrid throng, 



34 



A KAOE FOE LIBEKTY. 



Soon the head of the cohimn reached the gate and com- 
menced passmg through. Over this gate might very ap- 
propriately have been written Dant's inscription over the 
gates of Hell, " Who enters here must leave all hope be- 
hind."- As I came close to the gate I paused and looked 
on either side, but the guards standing there with fixed 
bayonets and loaded pieces admonished me that I had bet- 
ter pass along. As I passed through the gate my thoughts 
flew back hundreds of miles to the loved ones at home, 
and the question came into my mind, When or how will 
I pass out again ? So forcibly did the thoughts of friends 
and home rush upon my mind that I felt my heart almost 
sink within me, and it so affected me that it was a consid- 
erable time before I could speak without weeping. 

When we got inside the stockade I found it so densely 
crowded that it was ^yith considerable difficulty, my com- 
rades Shook and Hill, and myself could find room suffic- 
ient to pitch a tent. We, however, at last found a small 
space, and set about erecting something like a tent, more 
to protect ourselves from the scorching rays of the sun 
than to shield us from the hard rains so frequent in that 
section of country. Sergeant Hill bought a few poles, 
and I was so fortunate as to have a rubber and a woolen 
blanket. Hill and Shook Imd both been robbed of their 
blankets, but had" succeeded in buying one apiece from 
the rebel guards while on our way to Anderson ville. — 
Taking my rubber, and one other blanket, for a shelter, 
and the other two for a bed, we were soon as comfortably 
quartered as the circumstances of the case would allow. 

The different varieties and styles of quarters of the pris- 
oners would make a lesson for any Yankee architect. A 
great many of the prisoners had been robbed of all their 
valuables, and the greater part of their clothing. These 
had to resort to the disagreeable task of burrowing in the 



QUARTEES AT ANDERSONVILLE. 35 

ground, and building mud houses. Some by reason of 
sickness being unable to help themselves, had to lay out 
in the hot sun, and endure the drenching rains, and the 
heavy dews that fell during the night. Others, more for- 
tunate, who had managed to hide their money from th(! 
thieving, avaricious rebels, had bought some boards witli 

which they had constructed pretty comfortable quarters. 

Some of the prisoners who had been put into the stock- 
ade first, had got some logs and brush with Avhich^they 
had built huts for their protection. 

The stockade was made by first digging a ditch into 
which logs were placed on end, standing about fifteen feet 
above ground, and close together. There were about 
thirty sentry boxes which were placed outside and near 
the top of the stockade, requiring about thirty guards on 
duty at a time. About fifteen feet from the stockade on 
the inside was driven a row of posts, on the tops of which 
strips of boards were nailed. This was called the " dead 
line," a name given it on account of orders having been 
given that if any prisoner approached nearer the stockade 
than this line he was to be shot dead by the guards. This 
order I learned had been given byjthe " Old Dutch Cap- 
taiu," as he was called, who had command of the pris- 
on. And so rigidly was this order inforced that several 
of the prisoners were killed by the guards who were ever 
on the look-out for some one to shoot at. It was posi- 
tively asserted by the guards that every time a " Yankee" 
was shot the one who did the bloody deed was rewardctl 
by a thirty day furlough. 

At each corner of the prison a fort was built, the guns 
of which were bearing directly on the prison. The arm- 
ament of these forts I could not fmd out, except the one 
at the Southwest corner, which mounted twelve guns, 
probably about six-poundevs. As Wfi wcro muvclung to 



86 A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 

the prison I noticed the gunners all standing at their guns, 
ready for action, a movement which I noticed among them 
upon the arrival of every squad of prisoners that came 
while I was there. The prisoners informed me that the 
rebels had frequently lired into the prison to disperse 
crowds who would gather about the gates on the arrival 
of prisoners. A range of high poles had been placed in 
the prison from south to north, bearing white flags ; and 
the orders w^ere that whenever a crowd assembled on the 
west side of these white flags, the artillerymen were to Are 
a shell into the crowd. 

The source from which the prisoners received their sup- 
ply of water was from a shallow brook which ran through 
the i^rison from west to east, on either side of which 
stream was a swamp that appeared to be of a very pois- 
onous nature ; for if any of the prisoners had sores on 
their feet and would step into this mire with their bare 
feet they were sure to be taken with gangrene, and in 
many cases amputation became necessary in order to save 
life. This stream of water was extremely foul, having 
passed through a rebel camp near by, in which was a sink, 
and then past the cookhouse, the washiugs of which were 
turned into the brook, which served as a " sewer" to car- 
ry olf the filth and refuse of the rebel camp and cook- 
house before it came into the prison. The prisoners not 
satisfied with this supply of water, dug a great many wells 
inside the prison from which they obtained a supply of 
better, purer water. Almost every detachment had a well, 
and those who had none had to use the water from the 
brook or buy the right of water from some well holder. — 
The manner of digging the wells was very simple. The 
soil being a sandy clay loam to the depth of sixty or sev- 
enty feet, it was easily excavated, except in lifting the 
earth from the well, which had to be done with a ])ucket 



PRISON HOSPITAL. 37 

attached to a rope, wliicli latter article was generally made 
of old boot tops, blankets, etc. In this manner wells were 
often sunk to the depth of seventy feet or more. 

At the southwest corner, outside of the stockade, was 
the hospital, which occupied three or four acres, en- 
closed by a board fence. I could see quite a number of 
tents, and was told that they had shelter for all that were 
admitted to the hospital, but that bedding was very 
scarce, — the sick having nothing to lie upon except a lit- 
tle straw which was thrown on the ground, but which 
was never changed and consequently became greatly in- 
fested with lice and vermin. 

There were two gates to the prison — tiie north and the 
south gate. Just outside of the south gate were the 
medicine stands, where the sick who were inside the pris- 
on had to report directly after roll call each morning to 
be prescribed for, for their diseases, whatever they might 
chance to be, and where they or their department com- 
manders had to report in the evening for medicine. The 
ones who did the examining and prescribing were rebel 
doctors ; and those who issued the medicines were pris- 
oners who had been captured while acting in the capacity 
of hospital stewards or nurses. The quantity and variety 
of the medicines issued at these stands were very small, 
consisting mostly of barks and herbs. Scarcely could any 
medicine of mineral character be found in their dispens- 
ary. Instead of castor oil they issued pea-nut oil. For 
the disease known as scurvy they gave sumac berries ; 
and for chronic diarrhoea, they gave sweet gum bark. — 
These medicines might be very good for those diseases, 
had the quantity been sufficient to have had the desired 
effect. 

The first questions asked us by the prisoners were about 
the exchange of prisoners. Had an exchange been agreed 
D 



88 A EACS FOR LIBEETY. 

upon by the Commissioners, was the anxious inquiry. Of 
this we knew but little, but it was not long before it be- 
came the leading theme of conversation among all of us. — 
Here, enclosed within the stockade, we found Federal sol- 
diers who had been imprisoned for the long term of eigh- 
teen months. Some had been in prison for a year, some 
eight months, some six months, and some but a few days^,. 
all dragging out a miserable life of wretchedness and sor- 
row. Here I found many old acquaintances and friends. — 
Among them were two of my nephews, Abner and Milton 
Burson, who belonged to the Fifth Michigan Cavalry, and 
had been captured near Richmond, Va., while under Gen. 
Sheridan, in May, lS6-i. Ko one can imagine my feelings 
on meeting near and dear relatives in such a horrible 
place. My comrade, Serg't. Hill, having met with a re- 
lative of his, I sold him my interest in our tent for five dol- 
lars and removed to the quarters of my nephews where I 
spent the remainder of the time I was at Andersonville. 
The scene witnessed on Main Street as we entered the 
prison was not unlike that of a market day in a city. — 
Sutler stands were erected on either side of the street as- 
close as they could be placed, and in the street, soup job- 
bers and gamblers Avere to be seen on every hand. The 
first sutler nearest the gate cried out as I came opposite 
his stand, ' ' Here's your nice, cool, sour beer, only five 
cents a cup, fresh and cool, right out of the barrel." Be- 
ing very thirsty and having a little money which had es- 
caped the thieving pi-opensities of the rebels, I concluded 
to indulge in a cup of tiie beverage. Without stopping to 
scarcely taste it, I emptied the cu]i. '• Shades of depart- 
ed swill-tubs !" It was nothing l)ut water in which some 
corn meal had been put and allowed to remain there until 
quite sour when it was called " beer," and declared readj* 
for use. Some were engaged in selling one thing, ni44 



POLICE OBGAOT2ATIOW. RO 

some another. "Greenbacks" was the kind of money 
mostly in circulation, though they never Tefused Confed- 
erate money, but took it at a discount of eighty per cent. — 
With this money they would buy produce, such aa flour, 
peae, eggs, onions, tobacco, &c., of the rebels. Some of 
the sutlers were doing a very extensive business, having 
accumulated, in some cases, thousands of dollars. I was 
informed that some prisoners who were engaged in thii 
business, having had an opportunity of being exchanged, 
sold their chance for fifty or a hundred dollars, preferring 
to stay in prison and follow the business of sutlering, rath- 
er than be exchanged and again take their places in tho 
ranks to fight in defence of their country. 80 avaricious 
are some men that they will sacrifice honor, principle and 
everything ennobling in man for "filthy lucre." And 
though it gives us paiu to speak ill of a fellow prisoner, 
yet truth will not allow us to shield the undeserving. — 
During the months of May and June, some four men were 
murdered in prison for their money ; and in'order to bs- 
cure safety, a police organization was formed among the 
prisoners. Arrests were made of some suspicious charac- 
ters supposed to be connected with the murder, and six 
persons were tried and found guilty. A report of the pro- 
ceedings of the court was sent by flag of truce to the Fed- 
eral lines, asking advice of the War Department what to 
do with the convicted parties, and received instructions to 
do just what they considered best for the maintenance of 
law and order. Accordingly, a gallows was immediately 
erected and the six men were hung. The eflect produced 
by these proceedings was very perceptible for good, and 
as long as any prisoners remained at Andersonville the 
police organization was kept up. 



CHAPTER V. 

Sufferings of the Prisoners ; Demoralization; Religious Exercis- 
es ; The Priest ; Employment of the Prisoners ; Rebel News- 
papers ; Attempt to Escape ; Reports of an Exchange ; Leav- 
ing Andersonville ; The Secret Out ; Unexpected Sympathy ; 
Arrival at Florence; New Prison ; No Rations ; Planning an 
Escape ; The Stampede ; Our Race Begun. 

The sufferings of the prisoners from want and exposure 
were beyond the power of the pen to portray, and were 
enough to melt a heart of stone. Our rations, when drawn 
and apportioned to each man per day, would amount to 
about two ounces of pork, or in lieu of pork, about four 
ounces of beef, or in lieu of meat of any kind, six spoon- 
fuls of molasses. Six ounces of corn bread made with un- 
sifted meal, and no salt. Sometimes we would get about 
half a pint of rice instead of bread. In addition to this we 
would get about one pint of beans or peas per week. — 
These privations and hardships brought on severe attacks 
of diarrhoea and scurvy, of which dreadful diseases the pris- 
oners died at the rate of about one hundred and fifty per 
day. At one time, in walking a distance of twenty or 
thirty rods through tlie prison, I stepped over three dead 
men and saw as many more lying in the hot sun and ap- 
parently in a dying condition. One poor fellow was call- 
ing piteously for some one to bring him a drink of water. — 
I inquired if there was no one who could brin^ him soiree 
water ; but was answered by a man near me tliP^t I woiil^i 



SELIGIOUS BXEHCiSHS. 41 

soon find out that all a man could do there was to take 
care of himself, and if a person commenced the practice 
of charity in that place he would soon •find hhnself aii 
equal sufi"erer with his subjects and have no>ne then to 
assist him. It was astonishing how selfish and childish 
the prisoners became under their privations. Fighting and 
quarreling were as common among them as though they 
were children of eight or ten years of age. Two men of 
thirty or forty years of age would stand up and fight about 
a spoonful of beans or a teaspoonful of salt. It really 
seemed as though the rebels knew just how to demoralize 
the Union prisoners and make them useless to the Federal 
Government, and adopted this means to accomplish their 
hellish purpose. 

Very little comfort could be derived from anything or 
anybody except from religious exercise and meditation. — 
One evening, about dark, as I was taking a stroll through 
the prison, I heard some persons singing, and stopping to 
\ktm, could distinguish the hymn beginning, 
"From all that dwell belotv the skies, 
Let the Creator's name arise ; 
Let the Redeemer's name be sung, 
Through every land by every tongue/' 
This was sung to the well known tune of "Old Hun- 
dred," with an earnest pathos and tenderness befitting the 
occasioii, and seemed to carry me back to other and hap- 
pier days in my far-away pleasant home in Ohio. Wend- 
ing my way among the tents toward the place from which, 
the sound proceeded, I soon found myself near a crowd of 
persons who had assembled for Divme Worship. After 
the hymn was finished, a young man led in prayer, after 
which he delivered a discourse from the 31st verse of the 
16th chapter of John. Preaching was held in several 
places in the prison every evening that the weather would 
permit; and it was really a consolation to know that 



42 A RAOB FOB LIBEBTY. 

though we were shut in from the world, and from the so- 
ciety of friends and relatives, we could have access to a 
throne of grace. 

The spiritual advisor of the prison was an old Roman 
Catholic priest ; but the prisoners had feo little confidence 
in him that his hearers were few. He could not com- 
mand order while preaching, as the prisoners would some- 
times exclaim, " Don't hit him with that club !" " Don't 
strike him behind his back!" and other exclamations of 
like nature, which always had the desired effect with the 
boys of shortening his sermon somewhat. He finally be- 
came so disgusted with these disturbances, that he discon- 
tinued his visits almost entirely. The prisioners had but 
little confidence in any person connected with the reb- 
el government ; and they knew the old priest must ne- 
cessarily be a rebel, or otherwise he oould not hold the 
position he did, consequently his influence was very 
limited. 

Thus time wore languidly away. Each day seemed al- 
most a week in duration. Many and various were the 
plans adopted to pass the time away. Some were en- 
gaged in making bone jewelry and various kinds of toys ; 
some in playing cards, chess, dominoes, etc. And some — 
yes, a great many — spent the most of their time in reading 
the Bible. Persons who had never read the Word of God 
before, would bring out the precious volume that had been 
bestowed on them by a kind father or mother with a part- 
ing blessing, and there find instruction and consolation. 

Almost every day, while active operations were going 
on between the two armies, fresh prisoners would be com- 
ing in. These were always closely questioned in regard 
to a parole or exchange of prisoners, army movements, 
news from home, and hundreds of similar questions ; but 
seldom could we learn anything definite about which we 



StMOftS 6V AJJ EXCHANOB. 48 

ioiost wisiied to know. Occasionally we could get some 
of the rebel newspapers, and could form some vague idea 
of what was going on in the outside world ; but we could 
not place much confidence in these papers, for it was well 
known they were filled with lies whenever it was deemed 
necessary to so prostitute the Southern press for the good 
of the rebel cause. 

Some of the prisoners despairing of an exchange, and 
determined to get out of * ' durance vile " in some man- 
ner, resorted to the plan of digging tunnels under the 
stockade. But the number that effected their escape by 
this means was very few, for as soon as any were missed 
from the prison the " Old Dutch Captain" would start 
his bloodhounds on their track, and they would often be 
brought back torn and bleeding from the bites of these fe- 
rocious animals. 

At last we began to have many and various rumors of 
an exchange. The Macon Telegeaph published various 
pieces on the subject — that the officers had been exchang- 
ed, and that the exchange of privates would commence 
eoon. One day, a paper which found its way into the 
prison, stated that the exchange of prisoners was actually 
going on, and that they would commence shipping from 
Andersonville on September 7th. Expectation and anxi- 
ety were now at the highest pitch, until the evening of the 
7th. Many were the speculations about the anticipated 
meetings with fathers and mothers, wives and little ones, 
and of good times generally. About dark, orders came for 
several detachments to get ready to move. Some had 
faith in the report of an exchange, but many of the older 
prisoners, who had been deceived before, could not be made 
believe that any exchange was really going on. Prison- 
ers were, hov/ever, being sent away, for what purpose we 
knew not, unless it was to be exchanged. Every one waa 



44 A EACE FOR LIBERTY. 

desirous of knowing what was doing, and anxiously await- 
ing his turn to go. But the removal was not progressing 
fast enough to suit some of us ; so I, and some others, 
concluded to go out the first opportunity. If happily, for 
exchange, we would get the earlier benefit of it ; and if 
for another prison, we felt that it could not be worse than 
the one we were in. Accordingly, when the thirty-sec- 
ond detachment was called, I, having some acquaintances 
in it, concluded to go with it. 

It was late in the evening of the 12tli of September, 
when we marched from the prison to the depot, passing 
by the General's Headquarters, where we were counted by 
the light of a pine torch. When we reached the depot we 
were crowded into stock cars; and so full were the cars 
that we had scarcely room to sit down on the floor — there 
being no seats of any kind in the cars. Our rations for 
the trip consisted of corn bread and bacon — about three- 
fourths of a pound in all to each man. These rations were 
all we got for four days. In a few minutes after getting 
into the cars we started. Sometime in the night we reach- 
ed Macon where we stopped until daylight. While at this 
place, a little boy came along by the train, looking at us, 
and as he came opposite the car I was in, he stopped and 
said : 

" Old Sherman was gwine ter let you'ns loose down ter 
Anderson ville, wasn't he?" 

"Oh, no," said I, wishing to get all the information I 
could. 

" Y-a-a-s, but he was, and they're sendin' you'ns all ter' 
Charleston, to another prison." 

Just as this last sentence was spoken, the guard from 
the top of the car exclaimed, " begone you little devil, or 
I will put a bullet through you," which put an end to our 
colloquy ; but enough was said to settle the idea of ex- 



UNEXPECTED SYMPATHY. 46 

change with me, for I knew the little hoy did not make 
the report he was circulating. 

The cars were soon in motion again, bearing us away 
we knew not whither. A little while before night the city 
of Augusta, Ga., was reached. When the cars stopped, 
the train was immediately surrounded by a guard. Sev- 
eral women came to look at us, and expressed cdnsider- 
able sympathy for us. The prisoners asked them for some- 
thing to eat, which request was readily granted by several 
of them, who brought out loaves of bread and divided it 
among us. One woman spoke of going to the bakery and 
getting more for us, but was prevented from so doing by 
the guards. Before starting, I noticed a man walking 
past us who turned and smiled upon us — not a scornful 
smile, but a friendly smile of sympathy. He did not stop 
until he got some distance past us, when he paused and 
stood musing a few minutes, then turned and came walk- 
ing back toward us. As he came near the car, in the door 
of which I was standing, I caught his eye and immediately 
recognized in him a member of the Union League. Vari- 
ous signs of recognition passed between us. Here was a 
man iii the garb of a rebel soldier, but who really had 
his sympathies with the Union army. I tried to drop him 
a line that I hastily wrote with a pencil, but could not suc- 
ceed, for when the guards were not looking, he was not 
either. Having here found a friend, I resolved, if possi- 
ble, to jump from the train that night, and tiy to find 
him. 

Soon the curtains of darkness drew around us. The bell 
rang, the whistle sounded, and the cars were again in mo- 
tion. Having been crowded back from the door, I made 
an effort to gain it for the purpose of jumping out ; but 
just as I reached the door the train was on the bridge cross- 
ing the Savannah River. To jump out in the bridge 



46 A RACE FOR LIBEETY. 

would be alaiost certain death, and by the time we were 
across the river, 1 was again crowded back from the door ; 
so I abandoned the project till a more convenient oppor- 
tunity. The train did not stop again, except to take on 
wood and water, until we reached Branchville, South Car- 
olina, sometime the next day. There we had to change 
ears for some other place, we knew not where. On the 
night of the I4th, the cars bemg very much crowded, I 
requested the guard to let me ride on the top of the car, 
which favor he granted, and I then had a chance to lie 
down and get some sleep. On tlie morning of the 15th, 
we reached Florence, South Carolina, a place of little im- 
portance, except for its railroad crossings. The Branch- 
ville and Wilmington, and Charleston and Cheraw Rail- 
roads cross here. We found seven or eight trains here, 
standing loaded with prisoners. 

As soon as the train stopped, ordei-s were given to not 
allow the prisoners on one train to hold conversation with 
those on the other trains. This order confirmed my sus- 
picions that another prison was somewhere near by. But 
notwithstanding their orders, we soon found out that all had 
come from Andersonville. Some by way of Cliarleston, 
and some by Savannah ; but there was no room at either oi 
those places for them. The next question to be solved 
was, Where is the prison ? This mystery, however, was 
soon explained by seeing squads of negroes passing along 
with axes, shovels, etc. There was no prison for us, and 
these sons of toil had been sent in by their masters to build 
a stockade. This I ascertained from one of the guards. 

Soon the trains commenced moving away on the south 
road. The train I was on followed the others. After go- 
ing about a mile south, the cars stopped and we were or- 
dered to get off. We were then marched out into an old 
field that had been abandoned some years and which had 



PLANNING AN ESCAPE. 47 

grown up with young pines. But no stockade or piiaou 
was to be seen — nothing to keep U3 there but a single 
guard line, composed of the South CaroUna Reserves, 
which were made up of old men from forty-five to sixty, 
and boys from fifteen to eighteen years of age. It was 
soon ascertained that this ' ' new issue, " as the prisoners 
termed them, had never seen service ; and they seemed 
discouraged and discontented. 

The most of us having had but one day's rations for the 
last three days, were considerably pinched with hunger, 
and enquiries were made for something to eat. But no ra- 
tions were there for us. The officers informed us that 
they had to depend on the citizens to bring in provisions 
for us ; but what could a thinly settled part of the coun- 
try do, without any previous notice, for eight thousand 
prisoners ? In the mean time it was evident that the ne- 
groes were working at the stockade, as their songs could 
be beard as they proceeded with their work. 

We now attempted to organize the prisoners for the pur- 
pose of disarming the guards and making our escape ; but 
no concert of action could be had, so the project had to 
be abandoned. But I could not rest, I was like a caged 
bear, always on the move, and made up my mind to effect 
an escape, if possible, or hazard my life in the attempt. — 
I thought I had better die trying to escape than to lie there 
and starve to death ; for I could see no other alternative, 
as I was then so reduced by starvation that it was with 
difficulty, I could walk without reeling like a drunken 
man. My first plan was to find out w^hat part of South 
Carolina we were in. This much desired information I 
was not long in obtaining from one of the guards, who in- 
formed me that it was about 110 miles to Charleston, 107 
miles to Wilmington, North Carolina, and about 75 miles 
to North Carolina. Having learned thus much, I set about 



48 A RACE FOR LIBERTY, ' 

devising some plan of escape, and also to find some out 
^Yg^lom I could rely upon to accompany me. A comradt 
was soon found in a man by the name of John Henson, ol 
the 31st Illinois Regiment, who agreed to go with me.— , 
Our plan was soon laid. We were to pretend to want tc 
go out after wood, get a guard to go with us, and, when 
we would get into the woods, disarm the guard, and leave 
for other parts. This plan we immediately attempted to 
put into execution. Going up to the guards' quarters, 
which were on the south side of the camp, we made our 
desires known to the officer of the guards. He repliedi 
that having sent a guard out with some others, on the sam& 
errand, he could not accede to our wishes just then, buti 
that he would he pleased to accommodate us in about ai 
couple of hours. 

While waiting here, I chanced to look across to thai 
north side of the camp where I noticed some of the pris- 
oners carrying rails from a fence near b3\ Henson and I 
immediately started for th« north side of the camp. The 
guards having let some out to get rails for wood, others 
wanted to go also. Pretty soon signs of a sUmpede be- 
came apparent. Several prisoners cried out, 



, " Let's alf 
time, w^as offll 
general rushf 



a most thrilling and interesting character. A general 
was made, and guards were knocked down in all direc- 
tions. The cry, "halt! halt!" was heard all along the 
line on the north side of the camp, but no halt was made. — 
A boy of about seventeen came directly in my way and 
commanded me to halt. Suiting the action to the word, 
I made a pause and struck at him, but he dodged the 
stroke, and I missed him. Following him up, I gave him 
a push with my left hand which sent him sprawling back- 
ward over a stump. I then ran on as fast as I could. — 
The guard, raising up, fired at me, but missed me and hit 



OUE EACE BEGUN. 



49 



.ther man, who was ahead of me, in the hip. And thus 
jcgan my Race for Libeety. 



lUO 



CHAPTER VI. 

Exciting scene j dispersing in Small Squada ; Guide Chosen ; 
Eating Grapes ; Difficulties and Danger ; Crossing the Great 
Peedee ; Interposition of Providence ; Our Vigilance ; Dis- 
covered by a Friendly African ; Characteristic Conversation ; 
Timely Aid. 

Haying got outside the guard line, I determined to 
make a desperate effort to avoid being recaptured. Steer- 
ing my course toward the northeast corner of the field, I 
ran as fast as I could, followed by Henson. Being so 
much reduced by starvation, I could not walk without 
staggering, but excitement now lent strength to my weak- 
ened frame. The woods were soon reached and I imme- 
diately jumped the fence, but Henson stopped. 

" What are you stopping for ?" I inquired. 

'' Why," says he, " there are pickets in the woods." 

" I don't care for pickets," said I, " I will run on until 
I find one. Come on," I entreated, and he jumped the 
fence. 

The scene was like that of a lot of sheep released from 
a pen. The woods were full of " blue coats " running in 
various directions. Some starting west, some north, and 
•ome east. Very few seemed to know which way to go. — 
The shooting by the guards was still going on at a lively 
rate. Some of the boys becoming alarmed turned and 
started back to the prison, saying that we would all be 
killed. " Comrades !" T cried, " men who have no more 



»riDE CHOSEX. 51 

courage that that, ought to go back and lie there and 
rot." 

After getting fairly into the woods. I started directly 
east. About a raile north of us was the railroad running 
east and west. I supposed that guards would be imme- 
diately placed on the railroad to prevent our crossing to- 
ward the north, and I hoped by fast traveling to get far 
enough east to be able to cross before the guards could be 
stationed. I also thought the blood hounds would be 
started after us, as there were some at Florence. We soon 
came to a swamp which suited our purpose exactly. By 
directing our course through the swamp, the hounds would 
not be able to keep our trail. I soon saw that my plans 
were apprehended by the others, and that a large crowd 
had started after me. I stopped and told them that if they 
expected to eflPect an escape they would have to scatter off 
in squads of three or four, but if we kept together we 
would be caught before we traveled ten miles. *' Well," 
says some, " we don't know where to go." '' You know 
as much about the country as I do," I replied. One man 
came and begged to accompany' us. I told him he might. — 
His name I soon learned was B. F. Porter, and that he 
was a member of the Tenth Ohio Cavalry. 

Our number now being increased to three we set for- 
ward, not without, however, determining who should be 
the guide. It was soon agreed upon that I should act as 
guide. Neither Heusou nor Porter knew where we were, 
and consequently knew not which way to go. I had, be- 
fore leaving the prison, ascertained what part of South 
Carolina we were in, and consequently knew better which 
direction to take, so I told them I would guide them, but 
they must submit to my decisiofis altogether. After going 
about a mile through the swamp we came to a grape vine 
which was quite full of grapes, and being very Uungiy wo 



52 A KAOE FOE LIBKETY. 

concluded to diue on grapes. Hiding ourselves from view 
we sat down and ate some of the grapes, but we were 
afraid to eat many of them, for our stomachs were not in 
a fit condition to bear many. We made our stay here very 
short, and set forward again, going eastward. We soon 
emerged from the swamp into thick woods, and then soon 
came in sight of a farm. Going up to it very cautiously to 
see if any one was in sight, I found the way was clear. — 
No house was visible and the place where we came to the 
farm was at the edge of a corn field. As we crossed the 
field we gathered some of the softest of the corn that we 
could find, and when we got into the woods again we stop- 
ped to rest and eat some corn, which seemed to me, raw 
as it was, the sweetest food I had ever tasted. 

After traveling eastward about three miles, I changed 
the direction to the northeast until we came in sight of the 
railroad. Here we halted to ascertain whether there were 
any guards posted on the road or not. Bidding Henson 
and Porter stop, I moved forward to reconnoitre, by creep- 
ing on my hands and knees until I reached the road, then 
rising cautiously I looked first toward Florence, then in 
the opposite direction. Seeing no one, I motioned to my 
comrades to follow, and we crossed the railroad. As there 
was a railroad and telegraph running north from Florence 
to Cheraw, I thought it prudent to get out of the neghbor- 
hood of that road and telegraph ; for I felt assured that the 
news of the stampede would be immediately sent to the 
various points, and the rebels would soon be on the alert 
for us. 

By directing our course northeast we could soon be out 
of the neighborhood of both roads and telegraphs. In this 
direction our march was kept up until nearly night. — 
Woods, s^^amps and plantations w^ere crossed ere the 
shades of night were drawn around us. About dark I 



CEOSSIXG THE GEEAT PEEDEE. 53 

changed our course due north, taking the north star for a 
guide. As it was about full moon and a clear sky, it was 
pretty light and we were enabled to travel with consider- 
able rapidity. We had the good fortune, soon after dark, 
to get into a good road leading directly north, and we 
could now travel with more ease than through the woods. 
About midnight our path led us to a river which I alter- 
wai'd learned was the Great Peedee. Here was an ob- 
struction in our way. The point at which we struck the 
river was evidently a place of crossing, but no boat could 
be found. We went up the river a short distance in search 
of some kind of a craft in which to cross the river, but we 
were afraid to go far in that direction, as it would lead us 
toward the Cheraw Railroad. Not finding the object of 
our search in that direction we retraced our steps and 
went down the river in quest of a boat or bridge, but all 
to no purpose, so we concluded to stop until morning 
when we could see better to find some way of crossing. — 
Finding a cornfield near and refreshing ourselves by eat- 
ing several ears of corn apiece, we laid down under a large 
tree to rest and sleep. 

Rising at early dawn we found ourselves so sore and 
stiff that for some time it was with difficulty we could 
walk. We, however, resumed our search for something 
in which we could cross the river, and finally found some 
hewed logs near an old house on the river bank. We 
immediately set to work to construct a raft out of these 
logs. By putting two of them into the water, and tying 
them together with grapevines and sticks, we soon had a 
raft on which we started for the opposite shore, using a 
piece of board for a paddle. The opposite shore was thus 
reached with safety, but not without our getting wet, as 
we had to keep on our knees while crossing, — one on 
either end of the raft and the other in the middle; — to 



54 A EACE FOK LIBERTY. ' 

keep it steady, the logs sinking several inches m the water. 
After crossing the river we again took to the woods, but 
liad not gone far till we came to a large cypress swamp. 
To flank this Avas impossible, so we had to go through it. 
There was no water of any conserjiience in il, Ijut plenty 
of mud. 

Before leaving the prison I committed myself to the care 
and guidance of Divine Providence in effecting an escape, 
and it now seemed apparent that we were guided by a 
higher power ; for various things that we could eat, such 
as grapes, persimmons, muscadines, etc., came directly 
in our way. 

Through the day we came to a path leadmg directly in 
the way we wished to go. Following this path we came 
to a creek, on the opposite side of which was a canoe, — 
The creek was too deep to wade, and Ave felt too much 
worn out and tired to swim it ; but Porter said he Avould 
try to swim it and bring over the canoe for us, which he 
did, and we Avere soon safe across. We noAV concluded 
to take a rest ; and as avc Avauted to travel at night, it 
Avas necessary to sleep in daytime. 

I began to think of applying to the negroes for some 
tiling to eat, and for directions as to roads, but my com- 
panions Avere afraid of being Ijetrayed by them. I Avas 
not afraid, but desisted for a fcAV days until Ave got nearer 
North Carolina. We Avould generally sleep part of the 
day and travel tlie balance of the time, ahvays keeping in 
the Avoods and swamps, and on a strict lookout for " rebs,'' 
for Ave had begun our race for liberty, and in order to Avin 
the prize it Avas necessaiy that Ave sliould be as vigilant as 
possible. One day Ave came to a i)]aiitation Avhieh Avas 
too large to "flank " as Ave had trlanked others, and desi- 
ring to find a road that Ave could travel by at night, Ave 
concluded to cross tbe plantati(}ii, Just as Ave got acrosy 



DIfjCOVEEED BY A NEGRO. 55 

we came to a large mill-pond. This was another obstruc- 
tion in our way, and we could not get around it without 
being discovered. If we would go to the left we had to 
pass by the mill ; if to the right, we had to pass near the 
house, and some one was liuntiHg ducks near the pond, 
which we knew by the firing of a gun and the flying of 
ducks overhead. To stay where we were until dark was 
a rather hazardous undertaking, for the road was close by; 
so we concluded to go back across the farm into the woods 
and there remain until night, and then slip past the mill. 
As we w^ere recrossing the farm through a cornfield, we 
noticed somebody in a lane adjoining the field. The corn 
had been topped and bladed and did not afford a very good 
hiding place ; but as soon as we saw persons in the lane 
we laid down in the furrows between the rows of corn and 
tried to hide ourselves. Presently a negro man got over 
into the field and came toward ns. As he came near us 
lie took a circuit around the place where we lay, and kept 
whistling or singing as though he did not see us. After 
he had gone entirely around us, he stopped suddenly and 
looked directly at us. Seeing that we were discovered, I 
beckoned for him to come to us. As he approached he 
took off his hat and made a low bow to us. I asked him 
if he had ever heard of Yankee soldiers. 

" Oh, yes, massa," said he. 

" Did you ever see one ?■' 

"No, sah." 

" Would you like to see some of them V said I. 

'• Oh, yes, massa, ])erry much," he replied. 

" Well," said I, " here are three of them." 

" De Lord brcss ray soul, you ain't Yankees, am you ?" 
said he, slapping his hands on his knees, and manifesting 
great surprise and pleasure. 

T to]d Jiin) Vi<' Wf'^'e. and liovv we came there, ail',1 aj*ls<^d 



56 A EACE FOR LIBEETY. 

him if he was a friend to us. He assured us that he was 
our friend, and said that he had seen us in the cornfield, 
and thought it was some persons in distress, so [he came 
over to us, and seeing that we were wliite men, did not 
like to come up to us mitil asked to do so. " But," said 
he, ' 'dis am too pubhc a place for you, and you had better 
go back to de woods. I am oberseer, and as soon as I set 
de boys to work I will come 'round and talk wid you." — 
I told him we would do so, but did not want him to tell 
anybody about us, and to not betray us. Said he, ' ' My 
name is Will, and mind you, massa, whatever Will says 
you may 'pend on." So saying, he started off to put the 
hands to work — it being just past noon. 

We wended our way back to the woods, but took the 
precaution to not stop at the place our colored friend had 
directed us ; but took another position, so as to be able to 
observe his movements. Pretty soon he came whistling 
along by himself. When he came near the place where 
he had directed us to stop he gave a sharp whistle. Not 
getting any answer he repeated it, and I then answered 
him. He then came to us. I told him that we were very 
hungry, having had but little to eat for four days, except 
raw corn and grapes. He said he had not much himself, 
but would divide with us what he had. He then went to 
his cabin, a short distance off, and soon returned with 
some corn bread and meat, which we eagerly devoured, 
and with a relish known only to famishing men. He 
seemed to sympathize with us very much, and said his 
master had told him that the South was whipping the 
North ; " but," said he, ' ' how in de name o' de Lord is 
it dat when de Souf am whippin' you, dat you am comin' 
DI3 WAY all de time ? — yah ! yah ! — ilat's what I'd hke to 
know. Dey may talk to de darkies as much as dey please 
'bout whippin' you, but dc darkies don't b'Ueve iim— 



SUBSTANTIAL 8YMPATHY. 67 

b'lieve de Lord am on your side, and dat you will whip, 
and us darkies will all be free. " 

We continued for some time conversing with him on 
the subject of the war, and found him quite w^ell informed, 
especially on President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclama- 
tion. He told us to stay in the woods till night, when he 
would come back and bring something more for us to cat, 
and put us on the road that would carry us straight to North 
Carolina ; and said we need not be afraid of the darkies, as 
they were all friends to us. And so we found them to be. 
The afternoon was spent in sleeping. Night came, and 
with it our faithful colored friend, bearing a basket of pro- 
visions, and a little bag of salt that we requested him to 
l)ring, as we had been eating so much raw corn and fruit 
we were badly aftlictcd with diarrhoja. After eating heart- 
ily we started on our Avay, the negro piloting us some 
distance. 



CHAPTER VIL 

The Wet Season ; Chased by Bloodhounds ; Sad Accident ; 
Corn-blade Shelter; Substitute for a Compass; Negro Hos- 
pitality ; In North Carolina ; An Old Log School House ; 
Unwelcome Visitors ; Dreadful Storm ; The Turpentine Re- 
gion ; Secret Union Organization; Meeting Rebel Soldiers; 
Quaker Settlement ; A Puzzling Question. 

The time of year liacl come for the ^vet season to set iu. 
Accordingly, about the twenty-third day of September, 
the rains began to come, making our race for liberty more 
dreary and difficult. 

One evening we heard the baying of dogs in the distance, 
and soon discovered that they were coming nearer. We 
could distinguish by their howling that they were not the 
common fox-hound, nor the bull-dog. It soon occurred 
to my mind that they were bloodhounds, and that we had 
been discovered, as we had crossed several farms that eve- 
ning. Our situation became morfj critical every moment, 
as we could notice they were gaining on us and were evi- 
dently on our trail. The first thing now to be done was 
to throw the dogs ofl" our trail, if possible, for if Ave did not 
we would surely be captured. Fortunately we came to a 
swamp on our route into which we went with great haste. 
After going about fifty rods the swamp was crossed, and 
we came to a very deep ditch, which was too wide for us 
to jump across. A place was soon found -where some 
poles were thrown across the ditch. We attempted to 



rOKX-BtADE SUET. TEH. 5« 

fi'oss ou these poles, and as I readied the middle of the 
ditch one of the poles broke and I fell with much force to 
the bottom, hurting me very much. I managed to get 
out of the ditch pretty soon,\but was too much hurt to 
proceed. On examination I found that I had fractured a 
ri)) in my left side. Henson and Porter proposed to climb 
trees as a means of safety. To this I objected ; for if we 
were to climl) trees and the dogs were to find us, we would 
be easily captured ])y the citizens. But I told the boys 
that I could go no farther, and we had better prepare our- 
selves for a fight. We each cut a club and stationed our- 
selves on the bank of the ditch ready to knock the dogs 
back if they should attempt to cross after us ; but when 
the dogs came to the swamp it was too wet for them to 
follow us and they lost the trail. 

We moved on a short distance further, when it became 
so dark that we could not keep the direction, and as I wag 
suffering much from my side, we were compelled to stop 
for the night. We had no blankets or shelter of any kind, 
and a hea^y rain was coming on. On looking about we 
discovered a cornfield in which was a stack of corn-blades. 
Carrying some rails into the woods, we tied one to a cou- 
ple of saplings about four feet from the ground, then 
leaned other rails on this one. We then covered this with 
i-orn-blades for a shelter, and made a bed inside with the 
same materials. But only exhaustion and fatigue caused 
me to sleep, for I was too l)adly hurt to have slept under 
any other circumstances. 

The state of the weather was such that we could no 
longer travel at night. Only in daytime could we proceed, 
and then we were afraid to travel on any x^iblic roads, 
but we kept our course unmindful of streams or swamps. 
To t.iavel in daytime, in cloudy weather, we needed a 
compass, but nature furnished a very good substitute. 1 



60 A KAOE FOR LIBEETY. 

had remembered hearing some old hunters remark that 
the moss on the tree was all on the north side ; and by 
taking partiular notice to this we could keep the course 
tolerably well. Whenever we came to a farm we would 
generally make a flank movement and go around it, keep- 
ing in the woods to avoid being seen. To facihtate our 
escape we had succeeded in trading our blue coats to the 
negroes for citizen's coats, and would at every opportu- 
nity make inquiries of the negroes about the rebel soldiers 
and home guards. They told us that up further North 
there were a good many home guards hunting " exerters " 
(deserters). 

At every place where we made application to the ne- 
groes for food and directions we were accommodated and 
found them trustworthy. One day while traveling thro' 
the woods we heard some persons chopping. Moving up 
very cautiously, I saw several negroes at work in a clear- 
ing ; so I went up pretty close to them and beckoned to 
one to come to me. He came immediately and I made 
our wants known to him, which were for something to 
eat, and information respecting the home guards. He 
said we would have to stay till night, for it was but a mile 
to the creek called Shoeheel, the bridge across which was 
guarded, and we could not cross ; but if we would stop 
till after dark he would bring us out something to eat and 
take us where we could get across the creek. Taking his 
advice we laid down in the woods and slept till dark. 

At the appointed time the darkey came along with a 
basket full of cooked sweet potatoes and some corn bread 
and meat, which we soon ate, then following the negro 
he took us up the creek two or three miles to a mill-dam, 
on which we were able to cross. When we had got across 
the creek he bade us wait till he would get us some ra- 
tions. He started off, and in about an hour returned, car- 



IN NOBTH CAKOLINA. 61 

rying a side of bacou. On enquiring wliere he got it, be 
said, " Captain Johnson hab some bery fine bacon, so I 
goes and gets his man Joe to take de dogs and start on a 
'possum hunt, and as soon as he was gone dis chile slips 
to de smoke house and grabs um." He cut the meat in 
two with his knife and gave us half of it, and said he 
would sell the rest for " three dollars a pound." He said 
that if his master knew what he had done he would "burn 
him alive," but he seemed willing to risk the "burning," 
both here and hereafter. 

We had to take all the advantage we could of the wea- 
ther for traveling. Sometimes w^e would travel at night, 
at other times in daylight. We had to subsist off the 
country as we passed along, and while traveling at night 
would get sweet potatoes, apples, chickens, geese, etc. — 
We were so fortunate as to get some matches from a ne- 
gro, and as we traveled at night would gather a supply of 
provisions for the next day, then stop in some secluded 
spot and cook our rations. We w^ould then leave the 
place where we had built a fire, lest the smoke might })e- 
tray us. We were now in the pine forests and among the 
sand hills of North Carolina, but had not, as yet, spoken 
to a white man since our escape from the prison at Flor- 
ence. 

While traveling through the pine forests of North Caro- 
lina, I discovered, one evening, that a dense cloud was 
rising in the west and to all appearances we would have a 
wet night. We were on what seemed to be a by-road, 
but was in reality a public highway. Residences were 
miles apart and gave evidence of being inhabited by the 
poorest class of persons. While contemplating how to 
pass the night, we came to a cabin situated in the forest 
near the road. On going close to it we found that it had 
been built for a school house. It had a chimne}' and fire- 



')- A llAOH FOK LIBERTt. 

}>lacc, li door which hung on the outside, a log had been 
<ut out the whole way across the end for a window, and 
a board lay there that had been used to shut the window. 
" Here," said I, " we will stop for the night, and after 
dark Ave can make a fire, roast our potatoes, and sleep 
quite comfortably." Near the school liouse was a spring 
of water. Porter and I went to get a drink, and while at 
the spring our attention was directed toward the school 
liouse by the barking of a dog. On looking toward the 
house we discovered several men standing around tlie 
door, having Henson surrounded and talking to him. — 
We saw that they were unarmed. Porter proposed a 
hasty retreat, but to this I objected, and told him tliat if 
Ilenson was captured we would share his fate. On going 
up to the school house we found Ilenson surrounded by 
four persons — a man and his three sons — wlio had beeii 
passing along the road, and discovering the school house 
door open had come to see who w^crc there. We entered 
into conversation witli the old man and found him to be a 
vile rebel. One of the ])oys belonged to the rebel army 
and was then home on furlough. They asked us man}" 
questions, but it was useless to give them evasive answers, 
as Henson had told them who we were. They showed 
by their actions and looks that they would like to make 
us prisoners but the undertaking was liable to be attended 
with difficulty in the absence of arms, so casting a furtive 
i^lance at us^and at the coming storm, they bade us good- 
evening and started southward. 

Deeming it unsafe to remain in tjje sc^hool house, noAV 
that we had been discovered, as soon as our unwelcome 
visitors were out of sight w^e started. We had not gone 
far before the rain began to fall, and darkness was closing 
around us. After going about two or three miles we 
stopped in the woods a short distance from the road and 



allcmplccl to kiiullc a lire, bul (lie rain descended in such 
torrents tliat we found it impossible to build a fire — for 
the time being at least. Leaninii; ourselves against trees 
we were compelled to stand for two hours in as hard a 
rain storm as I ever witnessed. The darkness was equa^ 
to Egyptian darkness. The thunder roared, the lightning 
flashed, the winds blew, the rain literally poured down, 
and, all in all, it was one of the most dreary nights I ever 
knew. No one can realize my thoughts and feelings as I 
stood by that old pine tree, not knowing what moment I 
might be struck down by some of the falling timber or by 
lightning. As I stood there, far from home, hungry and 
weary, wet and cold, my mind wandered over the past 
and present, and the prospective future, and I felt as tho' 
the drenching rain would extinguish the last spark of pat- 
liotism within me ; but I committed myself to the Eulcr 
c>f the Universe, and felt greatly relieved and comforted. 

At last the rain ceased and I again attempted to kindle 
a tire, but judge of my perplexity at finding my matches 
wet and would not strike fire. By holding them to my 
]>reast awhile they became dry enough to light, and having 
plenty of pine-knots near by, we soon had a large fire. — 
AVe were soon warm and dry, and after roasting our sweet 
potatoes, we ate heartily and then lay down to sleep. — 
Those who have always slept upon downy beds in palaces 
or comfortable cottages, know but little of the value of 
"Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep." None but 
persons placed in our situation could fully realize and ap- 
preciate a good night's rest. 

Daylight came, and w^c started on our way again. I 
now found that my system was fast giving way under the 
extreme exposure through which I was passing. While 
in prison at Andersonville and Florence, I was subject to 
attacks of bronchites, and it was now apparent that the 



64 A RACE FOR LIBERTY, 

disease was growing on me, as my speech was almost 
wholly leaving me. This was about the 28th of Septem- 
l)er, and by the first of October I was unable to speak 
above a whisper. 

Our route that we had chosen, passed directly through 
the turpentine forests of South and North Carolinas. — 
Every mile or so w^e would come to the camps that had 
been occupied by the negroes, when attending the pine 
trees and gathering turpentine. But the war, brought on 
by the South, had put a stop to the manufacture of turpen- 
tine and rosin, by the Carolinians. Great quantities of ros- 
in were scattered over the ground in places w^here barrels 
had bursted. It was evident to my mind that we wert' 
near the settlements inhabited by Union men, and as our 
course w^as still northward, we w^erc anxious to Icnrn 
which would be the best way to turn, — whether cast to- 
ward Newbern, or west toward Tennessee. We did not 
wish to change our course until we could be advised as to 
the most practicable route. This desired inforaiation we 
finally obtained from an old man, a member of the Home 
Guards of N. C, who had been recommended to us by the 
negroes, as being a Union man, and as such we found him 
to be. He told us that to go to Newbern would be attend- 
ed with diflBlculty, as there was a considerable force of re))- 
el soldiers between us and Newberu. He also gave us our 
suppers and directed us where to find the Union men, of 
whom there were quite a number, in that part of the coun- 
try. He gave me to understand that there was a secret 
organization in the South, whereby Union men were en- 
abled to recognize each other, and said if we could get initi- 
ated into the order, that we would then have no trouble in 
getting through to Tennessee, — that if we belonged to the 
order, and were recaptured by the Home Guards, we would 
find many friends among them, who would assist us in 



A NARROW ESOAPK. fio 

making our escape. I asked him how I could get initiat- 
ed into the order, as I was anxious to know more about 
it. He replied, that a man could not join it without a 
member of the order vouching for him, and as we were 
strangers to him, he would not like to become voucher for 
us. This man, though dressed in rebel garb, was Union 
at heart, and I found that the Jeff. Davis government was 
losing more by such soldiers than it was gaining. 

Bidding the old man a hearty good by, we resumed our 
journey, keeping a northward course, as we had learned 
there was a large settlement of the Quakers in Randolph 
County, and thitherward we directed our steps. One day 
as we were traveling through the woods, we thought we 
would find out where the road was, in order to travel on 
it by night. We had not long to search till we came to a 
plank road, which looked so inviting to travel on, com- 
pared with the rough way, through thick brush and woods, 
that we concluded to travel awhile on it. We had not 
gone far, when just as we approached to the top of a little 
hill, we came directly in contact with two rebel soldiers. — 
They had the appearance of soldiers going home on fur- 
lough, having their knapsacks and haversacks with them. 
We were so close to them before they were observed, that 
it was useless to try to hide from them. Seeing that they 
had no arms with them, we went boldly up, facing them 
as we passed and bidding them good day. They returned 
the salute, and as they got a little way past, one said to 
the other, "Them fellows looked d'm much Hke Yan- 
kees. " We thought it prudent now to leave the road, that 
had the appearance of being such a public one. A few 
miles further on, and we were in the Quaker settlement. — 
Wc could now travel with more safety, as almost every 
man we talked with gave evidence of being connected with 
the secret organization before mentioned ; \m% the signs of 



66 A EA.CE FOE LIBERTY. 

recognition I was unable to learn. I had, by close obser- 
vation, detected a certain movement of the hand, made by 
almost every one I spoke to, but to this sign or question I 
could make no reply. Ail the Quakers with whom I con- 
versed, claimed to be neutral, in reference to the war, but 
on a lengthy conversation with them, it was easy to dis- 
cern that their sympathies were with the Federal Govern- 
ment, which guarantees to them, all tlie privileges they 
could desire. I made enquiry as to who the leading man 
among the Quakers was, and was informed his name was 

Joseph N , and that he lived about eight miles further 

north on the plank road. My reason for making this en- 
(juiry, was to find a person that could give me directions 
to East Tennessee. It was now late in the afternoon, but 
I determined, if possible, to get to tlie old gentleman's that 
night, before he would retire. Our eagerness to see him 
that night made us a little too venturesome, as we con- 
cluded to travel on the road that evening ; and as we were 
traveling along, we came suddenly to a party of soldier?, 
Avho were getting a drink, inside of a gate by the way- 
side. They had stacked their guns against a tree that 
stood in the yard, and as we came up bade us good eve- 
ning, which salutation we returned, though with fear and 
anxiety. They evidently did not mistrust who we Vere, 
but doubtless supposed us to be some citizens or home 
guards going home, as there had been a camp broken up 
in the neighborhood tliat day. After getting out of sight 
we congratidatcd each other on our narrow escape. 

A little while after dark we arrived at the house; of 

Joseph N . It stood by a tollgate on the plank road. — 

On calling at the gate the old man appeared, and as I was 
quite ill, I asked him for some i)lace to sleep tli at night. — 
He enquired who we were. I told him, and the circum- 
stances connected with our presence there, lie replied, 



A pfzzlixct question. 67 

•• Thee knows lliat \vc take neutral grouuds, and we are 
not in lavor of war in any case. Wo Iced the hungry, 
clothe the naked, and try to live acceptable in the sight of 
God." Thus saying, he asked us to come in and get some 
supper, and he woukl furnish some place for us to sleep. — 
But my illness prevented me from partaking of the houn- 
ties offered us by our hospitable friend. While my com- 
rades were partaking of a hearty supper, I had a great 
many questions to answer, for the old gentleman was very 
inquisitive. He had long been without any reliable army 
news, and could not understand how it was, that accord- 
ing to the best Southern authority, the Federal troops were 
being repulsed in every action, and yet the Confederates 
were losing all their territory ! This was indeed a puzz- 
ling question that only Southern rebels or their Kortheru 
sympathizers seemed to understand. 

After supper, w^e were generously offered good beds to 
sleep in but this offer w^c respectfully declined, as our host 
had informed us that the soldiers w^e had seen, had 
been to Raleigh with some conscripts, and that, in all 
])robabiiity, there w^ould be more along that night ; so we 
declined staying in the house, but told him that Ave would 
be glad to sleep in his barn or fodder-house. He directed 
onehof his sons to conduct us to his barn, w^here we found 
very comfortable quarters, compared to what w^e had been 
enjoying, and as the night was wet, the pattering of the 
rain u])ou the roof, sqou lulled us into a sound sleep. 



ClIAPTEK VIII. 

A Union Lady ; Prices of Produce and Goods ; More Union 
People ; A Barbarous Transaction ; A Heroine ; Successful 
Female Disguise; The H. 0. A.; Southern Proscription; 
Crossing Deep River ; Marching Along ; Old Battle Ground ; 
The Yadkin River ; A Friendly Colored Ferryman ; '^ Carry- 
ing Water on Both Shoulders." 

EapwLY the next morning we resumed our journey, tak- 
ing a northeasterly course, so as to avoid too close prox- 
imity to some of the towns. As we wended our way 
through the woods after leaving the old Quaker's, we came 
in sight of a small but neat cottage at the edge of the woods. 
Not seeing any man about, we walked to the house and 
found it occupied by a woman and two small children. — 
She received us kindly, but hesitated to give us something 
to eat, as she thought we had misrepresented ourselves, in 
order to find out whether she had been harboring 't;on- 
scripts and deserters. Assuring her that we were what we 
represented ourselves to be, and asking her some questions 
about the home guards, and if her husband belonged to 
them, she became satisfied that we were not imposters, 
and got us some breakfast. She said that her husband 
had been conscripted into the rebel service, but had suc- 
ceeded in getting detailed to work at the Salt Works at 
^Vilmington, as he was a Union man and would not fight 
against his country. She said the Federals had made a 
dash on the Salt Works, and had captured about fifty of 



A WAR -WIDOW, 09 

the hands, her husband among the rest, and the last she 
had heard from him he was at Fort Delaware, in prison. 
She was rather in advance of the ordinary class of South- 
ern women in point of intelligence ; and was carrying on 
a pretty large farm in the absence of her husband, and it 
really appeared as though everything she undertook pros- 
pered with her. She gave me a list of the prices of pro- 
duce and store goods in that part of the country : Salt 
$1,25 per lb., flour $1,00 per lb., muslin $8,00 to $5,00 
per yard, calico $6,00 to $10,00 per yard, and to support 
their families the soldiers were getting $11,00 per month. 
No wonder they had to keep a standing army at home to 
hunt deserters. 

During the day, as wc were going through the woods, 
we heard some one singing, and on coming to a field we 
discovered a white woman and two little boys at work 
gathering corn-fodder. Seeing no one else about we got 
ov«r the fence and went up to them, and I accosted the 
lady thus : 

" Is it possible that in this country, where negroes are 
so plenty, v/hitc women have to go into the field to 
work?" 

" I prefer doing my own work rather than be troubled 
with slaves, for a trouble they were," she replied. 

"Are you a widow ?" I enquired. 

"Yes, sir — a war widow." 

"Your husband is in the army, then," I said. 

"No, sir, but in the navy. He is on a gunboat at 
Wilmington." 

"Then," said I, "you don't want to see us if yout 
husband is in the Confederate service." 

*"' I cannot say about that, not knowing who you are ; 
but I have a*pretty good idea who you arc," she iuiid. 

" Whom do yon take us to be ?" I asked. 
F 



70 A EACE FOR LIBEETT. 

"You are hunters, trying to find out where the con- 
scripts are," she replied. 

I then told her that we ^vere not "hunters," and as 
she did not seem very dangerous, I told her who we were 
and how we came there! She seemed to put but little 
confidence in us at first ; but on maldng our case clear, 
she said her husband hud been conscripted into the Con- 
federate service, but was a Union man, and that two of her 
brothers had gone to Tennessee to join the Union army. 
She invited us to go home with her for dinner, and said 
she would send for her remaining brother, who would be 
glad to see us. 

As we walked toward her house, which was about a 
mile distant, she related one of the most barbarous tran- 
sactions that I had ever known to take place in a civilized^ 
country. An order had been issued from the Confederate 
War Department conscripting all able bodied men, from 
seventeen to fifty years of age, to go to the field immedi- 
ately ; and where men refused to go, and could not be 
found, the guards were to take their wives, mothers or 
sisters, and throw them into prison and keep them there 
until released by the men coming in and giving themselves 
up. She said that wlien this order was received her two 
brothers and a great many others started for Tennessee, 
and to fill the order her three sisters, the only support of 
an old lady ninety years of age, were put mto prison. — 
Old women from sixty to eighty years of age, and younger 
women with three or four little children, and young ladies 
y<^t single, Aveut to make up the number thus throvfu into 
prison. 

After dinner Ave left tlic house and went to the stable to 
rest until night. During the afteriux)n the news came* 
that the women were released from prison, airtl this intel- 
ligence was confirmed by the arrival of the lady's thrcb 



A KEEOINE. 71 

sisters, they having been set at liberty. On learning that 
three Yankee prisoners were secreted in the stable, the 
oldest sister — a shrewd, intelligent young lady — came out 
to see us. She gave full particulars of their iucarceratioD, 
and said they would have starved had they not taken pro- 
visions with them. She related instances of women who 
had small children with them, who, having been robbed 
by the rebels, and having nothing to take to prison with 
them, almost starved to death. The cries of the children 
for bread were scarcely ever hushed. The news having 
gone abroad that the women and children were starving 
caused some of the men to come from their hiding places 
and give themselves up, in order that their families might 
be released from the prison in which they were famishing. 
This 'young lady seemed to be the heroine of the neigh- 
borhood, and while in prison she bore the title of " Gen- 
eral." She related to us one incident that almost entitled 
her to the rank of " Brigadier." A few evenings before 
the young men left for Tennessee to join the Union army, 
the girls made a party for the benefit of those young men. 
During the evening, while the party was going on smooth- 
ly, the news was heralded through the house that they 
were surrounded by home guards. Retaining her pres- 
ence of mind, this ' ' Lady General " set about to release 
the boys. Each lady in the house was required to doff 
part of her clothing, and she then proceeded to dress the 
young men in women's apparel, in which disguise they 
walked out under the guns of the guards, who supposed 
they were the ladies leaving the house as ordered to do. 
Judge of the disappointment of the rebel soldiers as they 
walked into the house to find their game gone. She said 
that her last words to her brothers were to not come back 
until secession and the Southern Confederacy were wiped 
out; and declared that she would rather (IJo \i^ prisou 



72 A EAOE FOP. LIBEETY. 

than see her brothers go into the nrmy to fight for Jeff- 
Davis and against the Union. 

Evening came, and after eating supper with the good 
lady, we, accompanied by her sisters, went to their broth- 
er's. We found him to be a very" strong-minded Union 
man. He escaped being conscripted only by being em- 
ployed in a cotton factory at Franklinsville, Randolph 
Co., N. C. He received for his labor three yards of 
sheeting per day, which, before the war, was worth but 
seven cents per yard. This gentleman spoke of the secret 
Union organization, which I have already mentioned, and 
said there was a large society in that neighborhood ; and 
that the rebels had tried, in every possible way, to find it 
out, but without success. The officers of the Freemason 
lodge had also tried, l)y swearing all the members Of the 
lodge and by questioning them, but their efforts were in 
vain. 

While in this neighborhood I found it necessary to stop 
a few days to recruit my health. I told Henson and Por- 
ter that they need not wait on me, if they did not wish to 
do so ; but they said they would wait, as I was their 
guide. It being too much of a tax on the hospitality of 
oue individual for us all to stay at one place, we procured 
different places of lodging. The man with whom I stopped 
was a strong friend of the Union, and, of course, a bitter 
enemy of the so-called Confederacy. I staid with him 
four or five days, and he, becoming satisfied that I was 
v/hat I represented myself to be, proposed to have me ' 
initiated into their Secret Order. Accordingly, one eve- 
ning I was ushered into the lodge, and being vouched for 
as a "true blue " l)y my friend, I was duly initiated into 
the mysterious order, H. O. A., which organization was 
doing almost as much injury to the rebel cause as an in- 
vading army. The President told me that there were SCY*» 



riKBEL PEOSCRIPTIOy, YS 

tiiity-iive tliousaud of. this Order iu North Carhiia alone. 
He had lieen in the re])el army as a conscript, guarding 
prisoners at Sahsbury, N. C, and -while there had actu^ 
ally released flky prisoners within the space of two 
months. He was tlien sent to Richmond on some duty, 
and there he made the acquaintance of some of the Mas- 
ter Machinists, four of. whom he piloted to Tennessee ; 
and on seeing his " recruits " in Uncle Sam's employ, lie 
turned his steps homeward, and at once opened a station 
on the Underground Railroad. 

From this place we were sent to one R. S , where 

I expected to get a chart, or directions of the way we 
wished to go ; but on arriving at his house we were great- 
ly disappomted, as he was not at home. His wife, how- 
ever, showed me a map, from which I was enabled to get 
a tolerably direct route to the mountains. 

We were now in the neighborhood of the Stogdons, a 
family widely known as being very hostile to the cause of 
Jeff. Davis and his thieving coadjutors. The Stogdons 
WTre so closely watched by the rebels that they, with a 
great many others, did not dare to sleep in their houses a^ 
nights. I found among them men who had not slept in 
their houses for two years, and some w±o had not eaten 
in their houses for six months. They were compelled to 
camp out in the woods, in order to hide from the rebel 
soldiers who would frequently make raids on the Union 
men, and if caught in their houses, or elsewhere, they 
would, in almost every case, murder them outright. 

We crossed Deep river, a branch of Cape Fear river. — 
At the point where we crossed there was a high bridge, 
and coal mines on the north side of the river. The cross- 
ing was effected about twelve o'clock at night. When we 
got within about a mile of tlie mines w^e beard the engine, 
which we took to be a ferry boat or some other craft ou 



74 A EAOE FOE LIBEETT. 

the river, and so approached very cautiously, stopping 
every few rods to try to determine what was keeping up 
such a noise at that hour of the night. We finally reached 
the bridge, and finding no obstruction fk the way, passed 
noiselessly and speedily across. 

Various incidents came in our way as we continued our 
march. We were often compelled by the cloudy weather 
to travel in daylight, and as we were in the part of the 
country where the home guards were on the alert, it was 
necessary for us to travel very cautiously. Whenever a 
farm was to be crossed we would procure a stick apiece, 
place them on our shoulders, and walk rapidly across, 
giving ourselves the appearance of soldiers in tits distance. 
At times we suffered very much with hunger and would 
frequently gather and eat the mushrooms wc found grow- 
ing in the woods. To hungry men, anything that can be 
eaten tastes good. Paw-paws, persimmons, grapes, ap- 
ples, etc., that_^fell in our way served to stay the craving 
of the appetite, and we would sometimes have to resort to 
the lobbing of milk-houses to satisfy our hunger. 

As we passed through Guilford county, I had a strong 
desire to visit the old battle-ground near Martinsville, 
where Gen. Greene was whipped by the British during 
the time of the Revolutionary war, but prudence forbid, 
and we passed along as unobservedly as possible. Anoth- 
er day, and we were nearing the YacUvin river. We 
found that there were several places of crossing the river. 
One was at Shallow Ford, but the stream was too much 
swollen by recent rains to be fordable. Further up the 
river was a ferry known as G— ' Ferry, which was kept 
by a negro. The owner of the ferry, I was told, was a 

Union isan by the name of G . Being put on the 

road that led to .^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ advanced very cautiously, 
keeping in the woods Ij *^° ^^^^ ^^ ^^'^ -^^^^ ^^ ^^"^^ »^ 



CROSSINGS THE YADKIN. 75 

possible, to avoid being seen. As we descended the bill 
the river came in view. We had a wide bottom to cross 
before the ferry was reached, but fortune again favored 
us, as tliere were large fields of corn and sugar cane on 
either side of the road, and by getting into these we were 
enabled to get to the ferry without being discovered. 

Keeping ourselves concealed in the cane, we watched 
the boats, which lay on the opposite side of the river from 
us. Presently two negroes came to the river to cross. — 
We waited patiently until the crossing was made. As the 
negroes landed*! stepped tow^ard the bank and motioned 
to the ferryman who presently came to me. He was a 
very large man and quite intelligent, being a pretty good 
scholar, — i. e., a pretty good scholar for a North Caroli- 
nian. I told him who we were and what we wanted. — 
He said he was willing to assist us, but that he would have 
to wait till after dark, for fear of being detected, — that if 
detected he would be hung, as he had been so threatened 
by the miliary authorities for putting men across without 
a pass. He told us to go back and wait till night, and 
when he would l.)e ready for us he would whistle. It was 
then about noon ; and we regaled ourselves during tlie 
afternoon wfth a good, sound sleep. 

Night came, and the glad sound of the ferryman's whis- 
tle greeted our ears. Leaving our hichng place we ap- 
proached the river, and jumping into the canoe we were 
soon over the obstruction. The ferryman told us to not 
tarry long with him, as we had been seen that day by a 
Lieutenant of the home guards, who, supposing us to be 
rebel deserters, or conscripts, had followed us and had ac- 
cused the negro of putting us across the river, which he 
promptly denied, saying that lie had seen no such persons. 
He told us that he had put hundreds of refugees, and many 
escaped prisoners, across the river, and he gave us a great 



76 A EACK FOE LIBEETY. 

deal of information about the road to East Tennessee, as 
he had traveled it often, and was raised near Knoxville. 

I asked him. where his master, Mr. G , lived, as I had 

understood that he was a Union man and I wished to see 
him. He replied that he lived on the road, about two 
miles ahead of us, but said we had better not see him, as 
he knew his master better than the neighbors did. He 
then related a circumstance of an escaped prisoner stop- 
ping with this G and being betrayed into the hands 

of a rebel Captain. This Mr. G also kept a mill, and 

in order to retain custom, he tried to Idg Union and rebel 
both at the same time, and thus "carry water on both 
shoulders." It was necessary for us to pass by in sight 
of the mill, so following the advice of the negro we stole 
quietly by. We also passed G- — ' house in the same 
manner. As it was night, the house was lit up, and we 
could see that it was one of the finest residences we had 
come across in North Carolina. 

The night w^as a dreary, tedious one, and we were so 
much worn down by marching snd sickness that we could 
travel only two or three miles at a time, when we would 
have to stop and rest, and would drop asleep, but soon 
awaken by reason of the cold, and then start on our race 
agahi. 



CHAPTER IX. 

A Dangerous Crossing; Climbing the Mountains; Beautiful 
Landscape ; On the "Wrong Road ; Deserters and Conscripts ; 
Negro Assistance; Slaves Desire' for Freedom; Contemplate 
Freeing Them; A Slight Altercation; Baptist Meeting; 
Home Guards; Plans Frustrated; Mountaineers; On the 
Top of the Blue Ridge ; Re-captured. 

Feom the direction we were traveling it was evident the 
Yadliin would he to cross again. We enquired of Union 
men the best place to cross, and learned that we would 
likely have some difficult}^ in crossing, as there was no 
ferry, and the ford, which was pretty deep, was in front 

of Capt. M 's house ; and we would be liable to ])e 

shot from the house by the Captain, who was a vile se- 
cesh, and always on the watch for refugees. 

Happily we found a Union man, whom I recognized as 
a member of the H. O. A. Taking his gun with him, he 
piloted us to the river by a secret road, which led to the 
river some distance below the ford. He then directed us 
to take a path that led along the river's bank, through 
brush and briars, until the ford was reached ; and sta- 
tioning himself in the woods, said he would watch the 
Captain's movements, and if we were fired upon while 
crossing he would, he said, "despatch the Captain to 
H— 1 or some other seaport." AVe were soon at the ford 
and, seeing no one about, plunged in and made for the 
opposite shore. The water was very swift and above 



7» A RACE tOR I.IBEBTT. 

waist deep, which, made the crossing quite difficult, but 
we got over without any molestation. We then has- 
tened into the woods to hide ourselves, and finding a place 
where the sun shone quite warmly upon us, we lay down 
to dry our clothes and sleep. 

Resuming our race, we struck for the mountains which 
we reached in two or three days. At the foot of the Blue 
Ridge we came to a little village called Traphill. It was 
about twelve o'clock at night when we arrived at this 
place, and finding a number of roads leading up the moun- 
tain, we concluded to stop till daylight, lest we should, 
take the wrong road. Finding a barn a short dislau/ie 
from the village we turned in for a nap, but a cold wind 
was blowing off the mountain, which made our stopping 
place very uncomfortable. 

WitlT^ the first break of day wt were up, and selecting 
what we thought to be the right road, began to climb the 
mountain. Never shall I forget the scenery that presented 
itself to my view. On looking back, after we had ascend- 
ed a mile or so, "we could distinguish in the distance the 
pine forests through which we had passed weeks before. 
Here, spread out before us like a map, was a vast extent 
of country, intended by the Almighty Ruler to be almost 
a garden of Eden ; but the blighting curse of slavery was 
manifested everywhere. Numerous were the farms Ave 
could see that had been worn out by avaricious slaveholders 
in trying to get the last cent's worth out of both land and 
slaves. In some few cases the fences had been taken away 
to fence new farms. How different, thought I, is the 
North from the South in point of improvement. The 
Southern people were using farming utensils that had been 
laid away by the North for fifty years. Here in the Soutli 
could be seen a team of mules with husk collars, rawhide 
traces, and hitched to a plow with a wooden mole-board. 



ON THE WEONG EOAD, 1\) 

Keeping on up the mountaiii in the winding road for 
two or three miles, we canie to a small house by the way- 
side. We found this house inhabited by an old lady and 
two children— a boy and a girl. These children, she 
said, were her grandchildren. Their mother had been 
dead some years, and their father, having been conscript- 
ed into the reb^l army, was killed in battle in front of 
Richmond, She said he was a Unionist, and had been 
" bushing it " for six months, but was finally captured and 
dragged off to the army. Before reaching the mountain, 
we had been directed to take the Mulberry Gap road, but, 
on making mquiry of this lady, we learned that we had 
taken the wi'ong road, and was on the Salt Lick road, lead- 
ing to Saltville, Va. But she said she could soon put us 
right, and sending the Uttle boy with us, we were put on 

a by-road that led to a Mr. B 's. Here we stopped 

and got breakfast— or dinner, rather, as it was about the 
middle of the day. While we were eating, there came in 

a negro to whom we were made known by Mr. B . 

As the negro (who was a slave) had received permission 
to visit his wife, and was going our road, he volunteered 
to pilot us some distance. And a valuable pilot he proved 
to be. There were a great many conscripts and deserters 
lying in the mountains, and this slave knew just where to 
find them. He said that if any one would pilot him he 
would leave for Tennessee, as his master was a rebel. 

I found this negro to be a smart man for one of his 
privileges, but he had a poor chance to make his escape 
to the Union lines, as he was not acquainted with the 
country well enough to venture alone, and the white refu- 
gees would not permit him to go along with them . I asked 
him if any more slaves in that vicinity wished to go to 
Tennessee. ''Oh, yes, massa," he replied, " dar am five 
other darkies what wants to go.'' I told him we would 



80 A 11 ACE POH LIBERTY. 

then stop iu the neig-liboiiiootl a lew days, and perliape 
would take liim and them along. Being elated at the pros- 
pect of freedom, he promised that we should not want for 
anything while we remained. He told me his master's 

name was S , and that his (tlie slave's) wile belonged 

to a man by the same name, but who was a Union man, 
and that lie Vvould take us there, Thi^was on Saturday, 
and the Baptist yearly association was in session in Ihe 
neighborhood ; and as this Mr. S was one of the lead- 
ing men of the church, it was likely that lie would havt; 
company, and we might be exposed by going there ; so 
we concluded to stop in the woods until the negro would 
go to the house and see if all was right. Soon he returned, 
bearing a basket filled with corn bread, SAveet potatoes 
and apples. He told us that we had better not go to the 
house, but remain where we were until night, when lie 
would return and take us to a good place to stay that night. 
Porter and I spentjhe afternoon in hunting chestnuts and 
grapes, which were quite plenty, and Henson spent the 
time in sleeping, 

Wlien night came the negro made his appearance, ac- 
companied by four other slaves and two white men. The 
white men I immediately recognized as members of the 
H. O. A., and felt that I was among friends. They had 
been in the rebel army and had deserted. They declared 
that they could not fight against their principles, — though 
forced into several hard battles in the vicinity of Rich- 
mond, said they alwa3'^s shot so high that no one was ever 
hurt by their bullets, as they expected to be killed them- 
selves, and wanted to die with a clear conscience. I spoke 
to them concerning the negroes who wanted to go with us 
to Tennessee, and asked their advice. They said the boys 
were all good fellows and belongedjto rebel masters, whom 
they would be glad to see robbed of their slaves, but I 



A SLIGHT ALTERCATION. 31 

ivoiiUl incur a great risk by taking tliem ; for if we slioukl 
DC captured in company with these slaves, we woukl most 
assuredly bo hung. On hearing this, Hensou, who always 
liad a great antipathy to negroes, strongly objected to tak- 
ing them. But I was not afraid of being hung by rebels, 
IS tlicy knew better than to hang Union soldiers ; and to 
inyl)ody who had treated mc as Avell as the negroes had I 
would do all in my power to assist them out of bondage. 
We spent that night very pleasantly in an old tan-house 
in which there was a comfortable fire. 

The next morning at break of day we left the old house 
and went into the woods. Soon one of those deserters 
made his appearance, accompanied by several ladies who 
said they had often heard of Yankee soldiers but had nev- 
er seen any. They w^cre nice, intelligent ladies, and 
brought with them a large basket of provisions for us, — as 
good a breakfast as I ever ate. Their husbands were con- 
scripted and taken off to the rebel army, but they were 
expectiug them home. After eating our breakfast, we set 
about making the necessary arrangements for taking the 
negroes through the lines with us — Henson all the while 
protesting agamst it. Getting impatient with him, I told 
him that if he did not want to travel with negroes he might 
go before by himself or follow on behind ; and other an- 
gry words passed between us which came very near part- 
ing us. 

Being near the road, and as the people were going to 
meeting, we thought we had better move to some more 
secure retreat. Guided by one of the men, we came to a 
place where we could secrete ourselves, yet see the peo- 
ple passing, and could hear the singing and preaching.— 
We saw several men passing along with guns on their 
Nhoulders. I took these to be home guards, but was told 
that they were Unionists, and carried tlieir guns to defend 



82 A ]^ACK FOE LIBERTY. 

themselves witli. My informant also told me that uearl}'- 
all the home guards in that county (Wilkes) had been dis- 
armed by the conscripts and deserters. 

T)ie negroes now made their appearance and we soon 
concluded our arrangements for our departure. The ne- 
groes were nearly all without shoes, — Hensou and Porter 
were also barefooted, and I was nearly so. Something 
must be done toward getting shoes. One of the negroes 
said that he was a tanner and Lis naster had a tan-yard 
and plenty of leather ; so I concluded that this was our 
chance, and that we would make a raid on the tannery for 
some leather to make ourselves shoes. But while we 
were discussing this matter, one of the deserters, with sev- 
eral other men, came to us. One of these men told me 
privately that he w^as a member of the home guards, and 
that his Captain, hearing of us, had called the company 
together to have us arrested. Being thus apprised, I 
thought best to immediately start on our race again, and 
I informed the darkies of our danger. " Well, well," 
they said, ''ncbber mind us, massa, we'll come arter 
while." 

That Sunday evening, after leaving the place near the 
meeting ground, we met a man who said he belonged to 
the home guards, and that he had been notified to turn 
out and help hunt some Yankee prisoners that were in the 
mountains ; but he said he would not do it, as lie was a 
Union man, and was then going to a neighbor's to keep 
out of the way of the officers. I asked him wiiy he be- 
longed to the home guards when it was against his prin- 
ciples, and he said it was merely to keep out of the army. 
We conversed freely for some time, and I enquired of him 
where Ave bad best stay over night, as the paths in the 
mountains were liard enough to lind in daylight ^vithout 
tiying to find them at night. He directed me to a Mr. 



A STRONG-MIXDED FNIONIST. 83 

C , as the most suitable, place to stop for tlie night. — 

We did not reach Mr. C 's until about twelve o'clock 

at night, and when we arrived we found quite a number 
of deserters there. This place seemed to be a sort of ren- 
dezvous for them. One of the deserters told me that he 
had been captured by the home guards nine times, but 
they Jiever succeeded in getting him to the front. Mrs. 

C made us a bed on the floor, and we were not long 

in making our way to dream land. 

The next morning was quite frosty. After partaking 
of a breakfast of corn bread and cabbage, we bade adieu 

to Mr. C and family, and started on our race again. 

On going about three or four miles we came to the resi- 
dence of Mr. Wm. S , who was a strong-minded 

Unionist. He seemed quite iutelligent, and in speaking 
of the cause in which we were engaged, said he believed 
our cause was just and must triumph. Said he, " I am a 
sinner, but I believe in God, and believe he has guided 
you on your journey, or you never could have reached 
the distance you have come." 1 told him that I had never 
lacked for a guide, as I had committed myself to the care 
of Him who ruleth over all, and believed He had directed 
us. This man had sacrificed much for his Union princi- 
ples, and said that, if necessary, he was ready to lay down 
his life for his country. The men living in the mountains, 
if they are land-holders afc all, generally own a large es- 
tate. This Mr. S said that he had twelve hundred 

acres of land, that he had bought it for live cents per acre, 
had always paid his taxes until the South seceded, since 
which time he had never paid one cent of tax, nor would 
not until the proper authorilies were ready t() collect tlie 
taxes. 

xVbout tv/clve o'clock we reached the residence of IMi'. 
John W , whither we had been piloted ]iyMr. S . 



#iP* A BAOE FOR LIBERTY. 

Mr. W received us very cordially and liad dinner 

prepared for \}s. After partaking of his hospitalities, we 
started on our way again, with many kind wishes for our 

success and the success of the Federal arms. Mr. W 

directed us to his brother Frank's, but we had not gone 
far until we lost the road altogether, and had to travel 
through the woods ; but this did not discourage us. — 
About sundown we came to a house which, upon enquiry, 
we found to be the place we had started for. But Frank 

W did not prove of any use to us whatever, as he was 

so drunk that all reason had left him, and he could not 
even tell who his next neighbor was. His wife directed 
us to a Union man's where we might stop for the night, 
and we started again. Just at dark we came to a turn- 
pike road leading up the mountain. A httle further on 
we came to a house which we took to be that of the Union- 
ist to whom we had been directad. On entering we found 
our mistake. We had missed the road somehow, and 

were in the house of a rank secessionist named P . 

We asked for something to cat, but was told we could 
get no supper there. Not wishing to press the acquaint- 
ance we left ; but first received some directions from him 
about the road. 

We continued our wearisome march, tired and hun- 
gry, and after going about two miles, arrived at the 
top of the Blue Ridge. We crossed the Ridge, and going 
about a mile came in sight of a house which was some 
distance from the road. Henson and Porter insisted on 
going to the house to get something to eat. "We could 
hear persons talldng at the house, and I said I thought we 
had no business there, as things had rather a suspicious 
appearance to me, and something seemed to tell me that 
all was not right. But I reluctantly yielded to their wishes. 
Ai3 we came near the house, a large dog attacked us, 



OAPTUEED AGAIN. 85 

making a fierce noise and tiying to bite us. The owner of 
the clog soon came out and drove him away. I asked if 
we could get some supper. He said that it was doubtful, 
as he had considerable company. I enquired who his 
company were. He said they were cattle drovers. On 
hearing this, I made a move to go ; but just then three 
men stepped out of the house. As we were in rather close 
quarters, I did not think it prudent to attempt to get away. 
One of the men began to question us as follows : 

" Where are you from ?" 

"South Carolina," I replied. 

**From the army ?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Got any papers?'' 

"No, sir." 

" Consider yourselves our prisoners," said iic. 

" Guess not," I answered ; but the sudden appearance 
of two or three revolvers gave us to understand that we 
had better surrender at once. One of them pushed open 
the door and ordered us to walk in. 



CHAPTER X. 

Unhappy Feelings ; Our Captors ; A Relative of Mrs. Lincoln 
and Gov. Tod ; An old Flint-lock Rifle ; Conversation on the 
War; Closely Watched : On the Back Track ; " Playing off;" 
A '* Good Samaritan ;" Locked Out ; Re-escape ; On my Race 
Again. 

On entering the house we found six more rebel soldiers, 
making nine in all. Judge of our feelings, after three 
weeks of hard traveling and anxiety, to be thus unceremo- 
niously gobbled up. All the bright visions of home and 
of happy meetings with dear friends suddenly vanished. 
The remembrance of the past and the prospect of the fu- 
ture almost sickened me. To think of going back to a 
loathsome prison, and there dragging out a miserable ex- 
istence, was most disheartening, and I resolved to effect 
an escape, if I had to do it at the risk of life, for it was 
almost certain death to me to be taken back to prison. — 
Having formed this determination to escape, I silently in- 
voked the assistance of Divine Providence to aid me in 
my endeavors. 

As we took seats by the fire, one of the men, who 
seemed to be the leader of the gang, commenced asking ut^ 
questions, such as what regiments we belonged to, etc.- — 
I told him that I belonged to the 82d Ohio ; Porter said 
that lie belonged to the lOth Ohio Cavalry ; and Hensoii, 
that he belonged to the "Ist 111. ^' Oh, I see how it is," 
said our questioner, '' you are all Yankees,— you all have 



OUR CAPTORS. 87 

the blue pants on, — how did you come here ?" Thinking 
it best to tell him the truth, I told him who and what we 
were. He said he thought, when he first saw us, that we 
were some of the prisoners wiio had escaped from Flor- 
ence, S. C, as he had heard that four hundred had made 
their escape. This was the first news I had received of 
the number that got away when we did. This man said 
that his name was Tod— that he was a relative of Mrs. 
Abraham Lincoln, and also of Gov. Tod, of Ohio. He 
said that he was a Government Contractor and Press 
Agent, and had been buying cattle through the mountains. 
But I had heard of him before — he was buying cattle from 
the rebel farmers, and stealing from the Unionists. He 
ordered supper for us, but I did not feel in a very pleas- 
ant mood for eating. 

The man who lived at this house was named Coldiron, 
and he was a member of the Ash county home guards. — 
Tod asked him if he had a gun. He replied that he had, 
and produced an old tlint-lock squirrel rifle. Had there 
been no more dangerous weapons about than that, I should 
have risked taking my departure immediately ; but the 
presence of several revolvers made things look a little 
more warlike. Tod told Mr. C. that as they w^ould have 
the cattle to attend to the next day, to go that night and 
hunt some of the home guards to assist in guarding us. — ' 
C. said that he thought he could find two or three, and 
forthwith started on his mission. I earnestly hoped that 
he might not find any one to help guard us. 

While Coldiron was gone, we entered into conversation 
with Tod on the subject of the war. He asked what we 
were fighting for. I replied, "to preserve the Union, 
and for the restoration of law and order ;" and then asked 
him what he was fightmg for. He said, "I am fighting 
for thirty niggers that the Yankees stole from nic.'' I told 



8S A RACE FOB LIBKKTT. 

him he was taking a poor plan to get them ; but he said if 
he did not get the, " niggers " he would try and kill as 
many Yankees in place of them. We disputed warmlj'-, 
but neither could convince the other. "We needed the phi- 
losophy of the "Immortal J. N." to show ub that we 
were " both right, and both wrong." 

While this conversation was going on, I noticed that 
two of the rebels who were guarding us were desirous of 
calling our attention to the old flint-lock that they were 
guarding us with. One of them said, 

" I'll bet this is a first rate gun." 

"I'll bet so, too," said the other, " I wish I had it, how 
1 would pick off the squirrels and turkeys with it." Then 
addressing me, said, 

"Say, Yank, what kind of guns do you have in your 
country?" 

" Pretty much all flint-locks I" said I, wishing to make 
him believe that I thought it a good gun. 

" Do you'ns have any flint-locks in your army?''' he 
asked. 

" Oh, yes," said I, " a gkeat many ; but as we could 
not get enough of them to supply the army, we were 
OPLiGED to take the cap-locks !" 

I Tfas now meditating an escape, and made a great 
many excuses to get outside of the house, hoping that 
when a guard went with me it would be the one with the 
old gun, and I would risk the good qualities of the old 
flint-lock. But instead of this I was always guarded out 
with revolvers. 

The night wore away without any chance of escaping. 
Sometime in the after part of the night Mr. Coldiron re- 
turned, and announced that his efforts to obtain any homo 
guards? to assist in taking charge gf ii« l]ac^ boon in ji},\% 



Going back to peison. 89 

'^Well," said Tod, "I shall myself have to hc4i), while 
tlie other boys take care of the cattle."' 

Mornmg came, and the rebels were all astir. Break- 
iast, which consisted of corn bread, potatoes and cabbage-, 
Avas soon served. As soon as breakfast was finished we 
were told that all was read}^ for a start. Tod and Coldi- 
ron w^ent before the cattle and guarded us, while the 
others drove the cattle, and in this way we started back 
on the road we had come the night before. 

On we went down the mountain. The cattle eveiy lit- 
tle while showed signs of a stampede w hich I tried to help 
along. We were doing our best in the way of "playing 
off." Porter had taken a severe pain in his back, accom- 
panied with headache, which gave reason for thinking that 
perhaps he was attacked with pneumonia or a fever. Hen- 
son was almost barefooted — nothing on his feet but rag 
moccasins, and he was very lame with sore feet. My com- 
plaints were sore feet and diarrhoea, causing me to stop 
often l)y the wayside, but w^e were closely watched by 
either Coldiron or Tod. Thus we kept on for about seven 
miles when we came to a house at the foot of the mount- 
ain. Here Tod ordered a halt to rest the cattle and pris- 
oners. 3Ir. Coldiron inquired if tlie5^ had any brandy at 
the house, saying he thought if the prisoners had some 
they could travel better. Thought I, ''old fellow, if you 
don't look sharp, I will show you before night that I can 
travel fast enough." But the man had no brandy, as he 
had not yet got his apples distilled, (it being the custom, 
in that part of the country, for the farmers to get their ap- 
ples distilled into brandy.) so we had to do without. By 
the time they were ready to start, Porter had grown so 
much worse, (apparently,) that it was almost impossible 
for him to travel at all. He complained very much of 
headache, and the woman of the house, ' ' Good Samai'i- 



90 A EAOE FOK LIBERTY. 

tan '* like, brought out some red peppers, ground and wet 
■with vinegar, and bound them on his head, saying she 
thought he would soon be better. Nothing taut the situ- 
ation in which we were placed prevented me from laugh- 
ing outright at the pains the woman was taking to ease 
Porter's pain. We had not gone far when, as I was walk- 
ing by the side of Porter, he slyly slipped the bandage of 
peppers from his head and di'opped it by the side of the 
road, saying, in an undertone, "D — n the peppers and 
the Southern Confederacy together." 

When we reached the distance of some nine or ten 
miles from where we started in the morning we came to a 
man named Calloway, on the head- waters of the Yadkin 
river. He was a member of the home guards, so Tod left 
us there in charge of Coldiron and Calloway. It so hap- 
pened that Calloway had no guu, so they concluded to 
take us across the hill, about half a mile, to a Lieutenant 
of the home guards, and give us into his care. By this 
time we had played the confidence game on our captors so 
effectually as to make them believe we would not run away 
if we had a chance. A walk of a few minutes brought us 
to tiie Lieutenant's. He had been away — but just re- 
turned, and while he was away his wife had locked the 
door and gone to some of her neighbor's. Fortunately fo^" 
us, the Lieutenant's gun w^as in the house, and he could 
not get it until he would go to the neighbor's and get the 
key of the door. Bidding the two old men guard us until 
iiis return, he started off. The day was pretty warm and 
w^c sat down on the grass, under an apple tree, in front of 
the Lieutenant's door. I thought to myself that now was 
my chance to make an effort for freedom, for there were 
but two old men guarding us with an old flint-lock rifle, 
and when the Lieut, would return there would be three 
men and two guns to guard us. I rose up, left my hat 



5SEE AGAIN. 91 

aud caue lying under the tree, where Porter was moaning 
piteously, and speaking to one of the guards, said I had 
occasion to step to one side. " All right," said he, tliink- 
ing, no doubt, tliat I was too lame and weak to attempt 
to get away. Stepping behind the stable, and taking ad- 
vantage of the cover of the house and stable, I started off 
as hard as I could run ; and it appeared to me as though 
the wind assisted me along. I bad run but a short dis- 
tance w^hen I heard Coldiron callmg out, "Halt, you d — d 
rascal, or I'll blow your brains out !" Turning my head 
and looking over my shoulders, I saW' Coldiron, with his 
gun to his face, trying to shoot me. But he did not shoot, 
and I think there was no load in the gun, or else he could 
not get it to go off; or perhaps he thought if he shot at 
me the other two would make their escape. 

As I ran I came to an orchard fence, Avhich was about 
as high as my chin, and up-hill, — placing my hands on 
the fence, I went over it at a single bound, a feat I could 
not have performed under any other circumstances. I 
soon crossed the orchard, entered the woods, and made 
my w^ay up the mountain's side. After I got some dis- 
tance up the hill I stopped and looked back to see what 
had become of Hen son and Porter in the muss, and saw 
them still lying under the apple tree where I had left them. 
But I had not long to rest. The Lieut, would soon be 
back, the neighbors aroused, and I would be hunted. The 
direction I had started was contrary to the one I wished 
to go. I, however, pushed on up the side of the mount- 
ain eastw^ard, until the top of the peak was reached. Here 
I stopped to rest a moment and pick my direction. In- 
voking Divine assistance and guidance in making my es- 
cape, I again set forward on my race. It was about three 
o'clock in the afternoon, and having nothing to eat since 
morning, I felt quite hungry. Taking a circuit of six or 



92 A. RACE FOE LIBERTY. 

seven miles, I came to a path on a ridge whieh led mo to 
the turnpike road we had come down that morning. An 
the turnpila; was considerably traveled I deemed it pru- 
dent to lay by until night before 1 would resume my jour- 
ney, and selected a spot where 1 could see the road and 
yet bo hid from view. Aa I had left my liat when I es- 
caped, I was now bareheaded. I, however, had a towel 
in my poelcet which I had carried through the whole of 
tlie Hummer's campaign luitil I was capture<l, and then 
used it while in i)riKOM. Tliis towel 1 tied on my lieatl, 
making a pretty good substitute for a hat. Stretching 
myself out on the leaves, I was soon asleep, dreaming of 
home, and wife, and little ones, liut what feelings of 
disappoijitment were mine on awaking to find myseK sur- 
rounded by laurel buslies instead of the loving ouch i\\ 
liomc ! It was night, and the moon wa.s shining brightly, 
being near full moon. 

1 now ventured on the road, and went tripping along at 
a lively rate. I could not help but compare my gait with 
what it was when I passed down in the morning. I soon 

came in eight of the house of Jim P , where we had 

stopped the evening before for something to cat but were 
refused. Thinking it best to not go past the house, and 
as there was a large bend in the road, 1 took across, thro' 
the fields and woods to avoid being seen by any odc at 

P 's. As I neared the top of the Blue Ridge I heard 

some one coming tramp, tramp, down tlie road. Step- 
ping to one side of tlie road, in the shade of a tree, 1 could 
see, as he passed, that he carried a cartridge-box and gun, 
and I felt that had I a gun I could have killed him, as I 
took him to be the Lieutenant who lived at the house 
whence I escaped, and thought it quite probable that ho 
had betin up tlu5 mountain looking for me. When the 
.«ouud of his footsteps died away around a turn in the road. 



FUKK AOAIX. yj*, 

I Stepped from my liidiugpltiro, niul, -sviMi noiseless troail, 
)novo(l Inirriedly up tlio road. After reaching the top of 
I lie Kid^c 1 was soon in niuht of ('ohliron\s house, whore 
I liad been captured tlic ni,i;ht licforc ; but pref<'rrcd doing 
without supi)or this evouiug-, rather than ijjo there for it, 
ulthoui^h I was sulTorlng very mnoh from hunger and fa- 
tigue. I was now at the fork of the road where we should 
have turned tlie night before. Jjeaving the main road 1 
entered the f(n-ests and crags of the mountain. Onward 1 
went as noiselessly almost as a cat, yet making very good 
time. TIic owls hooted, the wild-cat scroamed, and oc- 
casionally the growl of a bear was In.'ard in some lonely 
hollow, making my way anytliing but pleasant. But. 
sweet liberty would crown my cllbrts at the end of my 
race. A wife antl little, ones were waiting anxiously and 
thinking the time long to hear from the missing Imsband 
and father. A mother avms tearfully wondering wliat had 
become of her lost son. * lirothers and sisters were waiting 
with impatience the return of tlie wanderer. As these 
thoughts lilhul my mind, 1 was nerved to renewed exer- 
tions to make my way through, haying full contldenee in 
GoJ, that He would be my guardian and guid'-. 



CHAPTER XL 

Sour Apples ; Seeking Information ; Union Aid ; New River ; 
Attempt to Take a Horse ; Misfortunes •. Captured Again . 
Confab with Guards ; Exciting Rumors • An Old Rebel ; Ex- 
torting Information ; My Opinion of Rebels and Their 
Cause. 

About midniglit I came to an orchard by the side of the 
road. I climbed over the fence and searched for some 
apples, but in vain, and was about leaving the orchard in 
despair, when I happened to find some little, hard, sour 
apples under a tree in the corner of the fence. Filling my 
pockets I started along the road, eating as I went. Hav- 
ing had nothing to eat since early in the morning, my ap- 
petite was considerably sharpened by this time, and the 
apples, hard and sour as they were, proved very refresh- 
ing. I pressed forward as fast as possible through the 
mountains, occasionally passing the hut of some moun- 
taineer. About three o'clock in the morning I became so 
much exhausted that my tired frame almost refused to 
move, and I found it necessary to seek some place where 
I could refresh myself with sleep. Leaving the road, and 
groping my way through the brush for some distance, I 
stopped, and, gathering some pine knots, built a fire, by 
the side of which I laid down and slept very sweetly until 
the break of day, when I awoke and pursued my journey. 

I soon came to a house, but it being quite early, and 
seeing no one astir, 1 passed by without being noticed. — 



UNION AID. 96 

About a mile further on I came in sight of another house 
by the roadside. Xot wishiuo; to expose myself, I made 
a flank movement and kept in the woods until I had passed 
the house. When I got past I heard some one chopping- 
in the woods. Goiug cautiously up, I found it was a 
small boy chopping wood. This was just such a chap as 
I desired to see. I asked his name. He said it was Saun- 
ders. He also told me that his father belonged to the 
home guards and was away at a camp at Boone. I asked 
Avho lived in the next house, and he replied that it was a 
widow woman. Having got all the information I could 
from the boy, I started for the widow's, where I soon 
found that I was not welcome. On asldng for something 
to eat I was told that she had eaten the last she had for 
breakfast. She spoke of her son being one of the magis- 
trates of the county, and I knew that he must be a rebel, 
or otherwise he could not hold the office of magistrate. 
I concluded, however, to make myself known ; and, on 
doing so, she seemed to express considerable sympathy 
for me, and said she would give me something to eat, if 
she had it, but as she had nothing, she would send me to 
a place where I could get plenty. She then directed me 

to D 'S, a man whom I shall always remember with 

gratitude. He sympathized with me very much, and con- 
gratulated me upon my success in escaping, but said he 
ran a great risk in assisting me. I gave him to understand 
the position that he and I stood to each other, and that he 
was bound to assist me. He then concealed me behind 
his smoke-house, mid bid me wait there until he would 
send me some breakfast. In a few minutes his wife ap- 
peared with a pitcher of milk, some corn bread and sweet 
potatoes, which I ate with as good a relish as a hungry 
wolf would devour a lamb. 
]Vrrs. D , presented me with a hat which her hus- 



band had worn out, but a poor hat was better than none, 
especially to a man in my situation. After I had eaten 

my breakfast, Mr. D directed mo to a place in the 

woods, where I might enjoy a good sleep, without being 
disturbed, and also told me where I could find other Un- 
ion men along the road through the mountains. Thank- 
ing him for his kindness, I went into the woods and wa;4 
soon wrapped in a sound sleep, from which I did not 
awake until late in the afternoon. I then started in quest 
of Mr. B 'ft house, where I met with a cordial recep- 
tion and plenty of provisions. Heceiving some directions 
concerning the road I wished to travel, and v»'hat houses 
to stop at, and Vviiat om s to shun, I started on my way 
again. 

I was now within six miles of New River, wliich, 1 wa.^ 
told, I would have to wade if I did not meet with soaio 
conveyance ; " but " said my informer, "you will come 
to a farm just this side of the river, where there are some 

horses belonging to Dave B , a rebel, and as there is 

no one living on the farm, you can probaltly get one of 
the horses and cross more easily.'' 

Just before sunset I reached the river and found four 
line looking horses in the meadow close by. Across the 
meadow was an old house to which I went, and, entering, 
found an old sadle, I\ow, thought I, if I only had a bridle 
1 would avail myself of a ride to Tennessee, as 1 was then 
in Watagua County, and within twenty-five miles of the 
line. Going up stairs, I found a pair of old bed steads 
with cords on them ; but, having no knife to cut the cord, 
with which to make a halter, I was forced to the necessi- 
ty of gnawing it off with my teeth. I soon had a halter 
ready, and then sat down to await the coming of night, 
when I would catch one of the horses and depart. Niglit 
came at last, and when it was about dark enough, I took 



ATTEMPT TO STEAL A HORSE. 97 

tlie saddle ou one ann and the haher on the other, and 
started out toward the horses ; but I happened to look be- 
hind me and saw a man coming over the hill toward the 
meadow. Being thus caught, almost in the act of stealing 
a horse, I felt as though I should like to be somewhere 
else, for the time being, at least. Dropping the saddle and 
halter in a bunch of briars and brush, I walked leisurely 
across the meadow toward the river. When I arrived at 
the river, I was out of eight of the man, and, without stop- 
ping to examine the depth of the stream, I plunged into 
it — which proved to be only about knee deep — and was 
goon on the other side. When once across, I started on 
a brisk run, and kept it up for about a mile, for fear of 
being followed and caught. In my hurry, I lost the road 
by taking the wrong one when I came to a fork of tho 
road. After traveling a few hours, and making a circuit of 
several miles, I finally came into the right road again. I had 
not gone far until I came to a house that I had been toM 
was occupied by rebels. It being late at night, and no 
light to be seen about the house, I concluded they were 
all abed, and so passed by without any disturbance what- 
ever. After I got past the house a short distance, I came 
to where three women were making sorghum molasses in 
kettles hung on a'pole. As I came up to them, I stopped 
and commenced talking to them, but soon found there 
was no sympathy for mc in that crowd, so bidding them 
good night I passed on. After getting 'a little way past 
them, I came to the edge of the woods into which the road 
ran, and as I was just entering the woods, I met two home 
guards, who were fully armed and equipped. Not ol;- 
serving them until it was too late to get away, I made no 
effort to avoid them. As I met them, one, wlios<i name I 
afterward learned M^as Green, said, 
'' Which way, old fellow ?" 



98 A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 

" Going out west a little way," I replied. 

"How far?" said he. 

" Trying to get to Tennessee," I said. 

" From the army, eh ?" 

"Yes, sir." 

" What regiment?" 

" Thirty-second Ohio. " 

" How came you here ?" 

' ' I was in i)rison in South Carolina and escaped, and 
am trying to get home," I replied. 

" Well, " said he, "if your tale is correct we would 
rather have missed you than met you ; but it is a fortu- 
nate thing for you that we have met you, or you might 
have been killed by tory bushwhackers before you reached 
Tennessee." 

' ' Well, gentlemen, " said I, "if you are really sorry, as 
you say, that you have met me, if you will just step to 
one side I will pass on and not trouble you further." 

"No," he replied, "as we have met you we are obliged 
to take you back, or do what we have never yet done, i. e. , 
swallow our own words. We are sworn to obey the laws 
of the Confederacy, and these make it obligatory on us to 
take up all such men as you that come in our way. 

He then said that I must go back to the house I had 
juBt passed, and as we turned to go, he asked me if I had 
any pilot to help me along. "Yes," I replied, " the best 
in the world. " ' ' Who ?" he asked. " God is my guide, " 
said I. " Well, he has brought you into a bad scrape to- 
night, sure," said he. ■ "Very well," I said, " I will not 
complain. If my cause is jnst He will yet deliver me ; 
and if I am wrong I deserve to be in prison for my wick- 
edness." 

We had by this time reached the house and were soon 
admitted. When we became seated the guards entered 



CONFAB WITH GUARDS. 99 

into conversation wilh the old man, and 1 soon learned 
that they were very much frightened in consequence of 
rumors that the Union men had burnt Taylorsville, in 
Tennessee, and were then marching into North Carolina. 
These men were on their way to Maj. Bingham's with 
the news when they met me. 

The guards left me in charge of the old man and his son 
while they went to 3ljijor Bingham's. AVhile they were 
gone, I had considerable conversation with the old man, 
whom I found to be very bigoted and ignorant. He had 
much to say about the war, and told me about the death 
of John Morgan. " There, " said he, "was one of our 
best Generals betrayed by a mean, good-for-nothing, false 
woman." " "Would to God there were many more such 
women," said I. These words seemed like a dagger to 
the old man, and he got very angry, but did not show 
any signs of violence. The subject turned from Morgan 
to Sherman in Georgia, and, said he, ' 'Young man, you 
will soon hear some news that will be very unpleasant to 
you." 

" Ah !" said he, "what is it ?." 

' ' You will hear of Gen. Sherman getting one of the 
woESTEST Tv'hippings that any General has ever got. " 

" Why do you think so ?" I enquired. 

" I am in possession of news that would not be prudent 
for me to tell," be replied. 

'' Oh, yes," said I, "you have reference to the re-tak- 
ing of Atlanta. I have been informed that Jeff. Davis 
and Gov. Vance have gone to Atlanta with two thousand 
MEN to retake it I" 

"Exactly so," he said, " that's it, that's it." 

" Why," said I, " JeflF. Davis could'nt raise men enough 
in the whole Confederacy to retake Atlanta." 

It was evident the old man did not like my style, but I 



100 A EAOE FOR LIBERTY. 

felt about as independent as he did. 1 was aware I bad 
as many friends in that part of the coimtry as be had, and 
if they kncjv of my situation, would release me before 
morning. 

The guards soon returned and began questioning mo 
very closely. They asked me where I had got something 
to eat, and who had given me directions. I answered 
that I did not generally ask people's names, and could not 
tell, besides, I did not see proper to betray my friends.— 
They said the Unionists had given them a great deal of 
trouble in harboring deserters and bushwhackers, and they 
wished to find them out. I told them to catch a deserter 
then, and get him io tell them who the Unionists were. — 
They said the Major's instructions were to make me tell, 
and if I would not tell by fair means, to use rough means ; 
but said they did not want to use a rope on me as they 
had on others, and that I had better tell. To this I re- 
plied that as I was in their power they could do as they 
pleased with me, and if they did hang me it was nothing 
better than I oould expect of the Southern Confederacy. 
They still insisted that I should tell ; so, to avoid further 
trouble, I described, as well as I could, the residences of 
some noted rebels I had passed, thinking I might as well 
implicate rebels as Unionists, though it did ' ' stretch tho 
trath" a little in so doing. This apparently satisfied 
them on that point, and they then asked me to tell them 
what I really thought of them and their cause. 

" Tell me,'* said I, " what you are fighting for.'* 

" For our rights," they replied. 

I said then it would not do for me to express ray opin- 
ion of them while I was their prisoner, as they had already 
threatened to slretcli my neck, and if I sliould tell them 
just what I thought of them and their cause they would 
frrtainly Jjang me. Tliey answered that I should not bp 



PLAIN TALK. 101 

disturbed, and tliej would guarantee me the right of 
speech, and whatever I might say would-be taken in good 
part This was just what I wanted — a guarantee of the 
freedom of speech, so that I could express ray yIcwp. I 
then commenced by saying that God could not be a just 
being and allow them to gain their independence, and that 
if the Devil did not get every rebel, there was no use for a 
Devil — that his satanic majesty had better shut up shop 
and proclaim himself superceded by some of the Confed- 
erate leaders. And as they had said they were fighting 
for their "rights," they would never get them until they 
would be hung as traitors. If nothing else would con- 
demn their cause, the souls of the Union prisoners, who 
had starved to death in Southern prisons, would rise up in 
judgment against it, and cause every rebel to be damned 
to all eternity. "These," said I, " are my views of you 
and your cause — make the most of them." " Well, v/cl!, '' 
said they, "you don't have a very good opinion of 
we'uns," and ended the conversation with a rufnanly, 
forced laugh. My language may appear harsh to the read- 
er, but it was the only kind my captors were capable of 
comprchendin:!-. 



CIIABTER XII. 

Ilobcl Camp; JcfT. Davis' Goslings; Unionists in Disguise; 
My Destination ; Guards ; Planning an Escape ; Boone ; 
More Yankee Prisoners ; Guarding Us at Niglit ; Conver- 
pation with Guard; Ereakfa?t Ready; Prepared for an 
Emergene.y ; Escaping Again. 

As the night was fast wearing away I became very 
sleepy, and lay down on the floor for a nap. When I 
awoke, breakfast was ready ; and, after breakfast, my 
captors started off with me, I knew not whither. 

Yie traveled some ten or twelve miles, over mountain, 
lillls and valleys, and came to a camp on Shoal Creek. — 
Here were encamped, in rude log huts, about two hun- 
dred home guards. As V\''e entered the camp, the news 
soon spread that some guards had brought in a live Yan - 
kec, w^hich caused quite a sensation. They flocked around 
me and gazed at me as though I was some wild animal ; 
liut, on looking around, I discovered that I had more 
friends in that camp than the men had who took me there. 
Here I found Union men doing duty as home guards to 
keep from being conscripted and sent to the front, but 
they had to be very cautious how they made themselves 
known to mc. Some of the guards began to ask me a 
great many questions, some of which were very insulting, 
but I always tried to make the answer correspond with 
the question. One little scamp, who sported more brass 
than brains, said, 



."lEFF. DAYI;: 

" What do you'us want to free our niggers for ?— s'posc 
you all want our nigger wenches for wives ?" 

" Oh, no," said I, "we don't want to rol) you South- 
ern bloods of your bedfellows— we only want your nep:ro 
men to fight you with." 

At this remark he seemed very much insulted, and 
would have done violence to me if he could, but the bursts 
of laughter from the bystanders put an end to the conver- 
sation. Pretty soon another boy about sixteen came up 
to me and said, 

" Helloah, Yank, when's OJd Abe gwiue to jnake an- 
other call for geese ?' 

"Just as soon as Jeflf. Davis makes anollicr rail for 
goslings." 

, " Say, Jim, is supper ready," he cried out, as Lc turned 
away. 

I was turned over by my captors to Captain Tdiller, the 
commander of the camp, and was put into one of the cab- 
ins. Two men were detailed to guard me. They took a 
position on either side of the door outside until dark when 
they came inside the cabin. About dark, a young man 
of fine appearance came into the cabin vrith some corn 
bread and boiled beef, which he said he had prepared for 
me ; adding that he had been a prisoner once himself. I 
asked him where. lie said at Camp Chase, Ohio, and 
that if he was there now he would never be seen in Ivortli 
Carolina again. Not being allovred to ta^k much witli me, 
hr^ bade me good night and went out. Having eaten my 
pone and beef, I made a nest in the £tra^^' in my cabin 
and was soon sound asleep. 

This camp was called Camp -Mast, and was situated on 
the head-waters of Shoal creek, in Watagua county, N. C. 
The camp had but one street and a row of cabiris on eithc r 
side. TiiiTL' Averc ])ut fifteen cabins in nl!, — twelve of 



104 A RACE FOB LIBERTY. 

which were for the privates, one for officers, and two for 
horses. The uniforms of the home guards were of as 
many different colors and cuts as could almost l^ie imag- 
ined ; but the prominent color was butternut^brown. — 
There was hardly a regulation uniform to be seen in the 
whole battalion. Their arms were of about as many dif- 
ferent styles as there were colors and cuts of their coats. 
Everything in the shape of a gun, from a shot-gun to a 
Spencer lifle, were represented here. The bearers of arms 
were of all ages and conditions of men, from the strix-)llng 
boy of sixteen, to the hoary-hcaded man of sixty. 

JIj stay at this i)lace was only one night. In the morn- 
ing I was ordered to Camp Vance, which I learned was 
at Morgantovvn, on the railroad, and distant about fifty 
miles ; and thence I would be taken to Salisbmy. 1'wo 
guards were detailed to escort me. "When I v.'as brought 
out to start, I was almost overjoyed to find that one of the 
guards was a Union man'and a true friend of mine. I im- 
mediately resolved to not go to Camp Vance, and only 
awaited an opportunity to speak with the guard and plan 
my escape. 

After traveling about two miles with the guards, II — — , 
the secessionist, stopped at a house to buy some butter, 

which afforded me an opportunity of speaking to C , 

the Unionist, as we were'uov/ alone. I commenced on 
the subject of making my escape, and reminded him of the 
secret relation we stood to each other. He said we would 
walk on and thereby have a longer time to talk. My de- 
sign was to escape that night, and I asked, or rather de- 
manded his assistance in carrying out my plan. lie sai 1 
lie would gladly do anything he could toward efic-cting my 
I'elease, without exposing himscir. I then told him that 
sometime in the night I would make an excuse to go out, 
and have him go out witlime, as guard, arid vStcv we wcro 



A DESERTED TOWX. 10$ 

out of the Louse, I would ruu off. He vras then to cry out 
" Halt !" and shoot off his gun, but to not shoot me. To 
all this he readily assented, and I was about to give him 
my hand, as a token of brotherly Union, when the other 
guard made his appearance around a turn in the road be- 

liind us. C told me that H was a notorious rebel 

I'nshwhacker and lived in Tennessee, and had been en- 
gaged in bushwhacking the Union men of that State until 
he was notified to leave, when he went over to jSTorth Car- 
olina and Joined the home guards, as he was too great a 
coward to go into the regular seevice. 

i^ now rejoined ns, and our conversation turned to 

other subjects. He appeared to be in a great hurry ; but 

said that, owing to a recent attack of rheumatism, 

he could not travel fast, and, as he was v>'orking for Jeff. 
Davis, he should not be in any hurry. We often stopped 
to gather chestnuts, which were quite plenty in the moun- 
tains. About eight miles from Camp Mast, we came to 
the town of Boone, the county seat of Watagua county. 
This town was almost entirely deserted — ]iot more than 
half a dozen houses were occupied in the whole town. — 
Some of the buildings had the appearance of having once 
been used for stores. The Court House showed that the 
effects of the war had reached that mountain village. A 
whole light of glass could scarcely be found in the win- 
dows. I was told that the village had once been inhabit- 
ed by Union-loving people, who, not liking the Jeff. Da- 
vis rule, had stampeded for Tennessee. 

After we had left the town about a mile, we met two 
home guards, having Avith them two prisoners. One was 
dressed in the Federal uniform ; the other in rebel garb. 
When we met them we were opposite a house by the side 
of the road, and, as tTie guards stopped to exchange salu- 
tations, a Lieutenant of the guards came out of tlie house 



S; ;j A E ACE FOK LIBERTY. 

^ lid begau to question us. He asked mo ^Yl^o I was. I 
replied that I was a full-blooded Yankee, a member of 
the 32d Ohio regiment, — was captured" at Atlanta, and 
scaped at Florence, S. C. Being satisfied with my an- 
swer, he turned to the others. Tlie one in blue clothea 
gaid that he and his companion belonged to the Fourteenth 
Battalion, North Carolina State Guards, that his name 
was Kicholas Jestes, his companion's name Gregg Jestes, 
and that they were brothers. The battalion, he said, had 
' oen disbanded for two weeks, when they were to report 
: ir duty again at Ashville. 

" Where did you get that suit of Yankee clothes?" 
queried the Lieutenant. 

' ' Got them by hard fighting, like many another one gets 
them," he replied. 

The guards who had the two Jestes in charge said they 
could go no further ; but the Lieut, told them to go with 
us until we came to a certain cross roads, where he would 
meet them with some other guards to talce their place. — 
The whole party — three prisoners and four guards — now 
darted off together. We reached the cross roads pretty 
Sv)on and found the Lieutenant waiting for us. He said 
lie could not get the guards that he had been after, as they 
i; ad gone to camp that morning; and that H and 

— -- would have to take charge of all three prisoners. — 

; hen he took H to one side and I overheard him say 

.iiat it w^ould be necessary t6 be careful or the prisoners 
would get awa}\ 

The day was wearing away and our march was kept 
up, though quite leisurely. The only words I could get 
liom the Jestes that day, were, as we stopped a moment 
lu wait on one of tlie guards, that they were betrayed tlie 
1 1 iglit previous. ' ' How long have you been on the tramp? " 
, :"k'"i. '^ Two month« '" said the oldest. Tliis was all 



A FE.MALI5 GUAKD. 107 

1 bad au opportunity of learning from llicm that da}'. — 
Sometime after dark we stopped at tlie house of a man by 
the name of Robins, who said he was a member of thi- 
home guards. The guards told him they wished to obtcin 
hedging for the night. Supper was prepared for us, after 
which we retired. One of my fellow-prisoners carried a 
coverlet with him, which served to cover all three of us. 
We were soon all sound asleep, or pretended to be. I Avas 
snoring, but had an ear open to what was being said. — 

H said that he had been up all night the night before, 

and that Mr. Robins would have to help C guard us. 

C said he did not think it necessary for more than 

one to eta}^ up at a time, and thought he could guard us 
himself. Robins had three girls that were women grown. 
One of them said, "I'll help guard tlie prisoners." — 
"Very vrell," said the old man, and all went to bed, ex- 
cept C i and the young lady. The}' chatted, laughed, 

and sang love songs until midnight, when the girl getting 

sleepy, went to bed, not without, however, telling C 

to "not let them fellers git away." 

Everything was working to suit me. After waiting 
until I thought the girl was asleep, I got up, put on my 

shoes, and told C I Vsished to go out ; so picking up 

his gun, M'hich stood by the chimney, he went out with 
me. When we got fairly out of thc^iouse, I said, " You 
go that vray," pointing to the right, " and I will go this 
way, and when I get started," fire olfyour gun." " No," 
he said, "it will not do, for I am strongly suspected al- 
ready. H saw me talking' privately with the other 

prisoners to-day, and if I let you go, I shall be punished. 
Those fellows are all right, and you just wait till to-mor- 
row, and I will give you all a chance to get away." We 
then made our arrangements for our escape the next da}-. 
I was to walk alongside of H , C was to walk 



109 'a race foe libeety. 

l)etween the other two prisoners, and ^ivhen \Te would 
come to some place in the mountains, where the bank was 

very steep below the road, I was to throw H over tlie 

l)ank, while the other two were to disarm C , and we 

would then all strike out for ourselves. "Now." said 

C , "if you make the attempt to throw H oveJ", 

you must give him a h — l of a hoove." Having mutu- 
ally agreed upon this plan, we returned into the house, 
and I laid down by the side of Nicholas Jestes. Wishing 
him to have an understanding of the matter, I wdiispered 

to him that C wanted to talk Vvitl^ him. He then 

got up, and taking a seat by the fire, commenced a con- 
versation with C . As my plans were all laid, I soon 

dropped asleep, and did not vrake until after daylight. 

Quite early fn the morning we were told to get up and 
prepare for breakfast. We all went out to a brook close 
by the house and washed ourselves, then went back into 
the house. I was prepared for any emergency. The eve- 
ning before I had stuffed my old hat into my coat pocket, 
and I now thought I would mend my old shoes, which had 
nearly given out. Taking one off, I commenced working 

with it. H laid his gun on the bed and stepped out 

of the house. Robins was out in the wood-pile, chopping 

wood. C had been guarding us all night and w^as, of 

course, very sleepy. He sat moodily by the fire, with his 
gun leaning loosely against his shoulder. Seeing the op- 
portunity, I gave Nick a pluck, and pointed to the gun 
on the bed. As he made a move for it, I snatched the gun 

from C . Nick picked up the one on the bed and we 

ran out of the house, forgetting all about the breakfast 
that was smoking on the table. As we ran out of the 

house, C ran out through the kitchen, exclaiming, 

"Look! look Tvhat these fellows are about!" Robins, 
Avho was chopping wood, commenced to ycdl out ' ' Halt, 



EE-ESCAPED. 109 

there! halt!'' 1 did hah, and, bnnging my gun to my 

face, was ahoiit to fire at him, when he and H sprang 

behind the corner of tiie honso. 



CHAPTEU XIII. 

Fast Kacing ; llesting; Kick's Story; llanl Traveling; Sul>- 
sisting on Chestnuts; Disagreeable Situation; In Luck; 
Corn, Pumpkins and Apples; Our Pass; Playing 'Home Guard:' 
Strategy; Our Suspicions ; In the "Woods Again. 

We now jumped over the I'cnce into tlie laurel brusli 
and were soon out of sight. 1, with my hat in my pock- 
et, a shoe in one hand, and the gun in the other, Avas not 
in a very good condition for running through the woods ; 
t)Ut I made good speed, and Nick and Gregg kept close at 
my heels. In our hurry, we had forgotten the cartridge 
boxes, and therefore had no ammunition, except what was 
in the guns. After running about a mile, we stopped to 
rest and listen if we were followed. I then put on my 
shoe and hat. My foot was bleeding very profusely, from 
a cut I received while running ^through the woods, but 
which I had not noticed until now. 

It was a beautiful morning, about the 18th of October, 
and the leaves in the woods being dry, and air still, we 
could hear any noise in the woods a considerable distance. 
As Ave sat renting on a log we could distinctly hear foot- 
steps of some one in the Avoods approaching us ; so Ave 
started in an easterly direction, and wishiug to go west- 
Avard, we changed our course from east to north, and fin- 
ally to the west, and were not molested further by the 
noise we had heard. 

We soon crossed the road Avhich we had traveled the 



nick'b story. Ill 

night before ; and for fear of au alarm being given, and 
that search might be made for ns, we traveled as fast and 
eoutiously as we could, avoiding everything that looked 
like a habitation ; nor would we allow ourselves to follow 
the paths and trails that came in our way, but took a di- 
rect course westward, over peaks and rocks, and across 
hollows and streams. After we had traveled several miles 
we concluded we had better stop awhile and rest our- 
selves. . Gathering a quantity of chestnuts, of which there 
were a great many, we sat down to eat them, and Nick 
gave me the following story, relative to himself. 

He had been conscripted into the rebel army, and put in 
the Fourteenth Battalion, North Carolina State Guards ; 
but he would not fight against his principles, and there- 
fore deserted and went home to Madison County, N. C. — 
After remainmg at home for some time, hiding and scout- 
ing in the mountains, he concluded to go through the lines 
to Knoxville, East Tennessee. Accordingly, he went, 
and enlisted i^ the Federal service, in the Third North 
Carolina Regiment. After uniting himself with this regi- 
ment, he was put on detached duty and sent back to N. 
C, to recruit men for the regiment. lie succeeded very 
Mcll, enlisting eighteen men hi a few days, and was about 
istarting back for the Union lines, with his recruits, wlicn 
tiiey were surprised one day and all taken prisoners, iii- 
eluding his brother, who was one of the recruits. They 
were taken to Ashville and lodged in jail. This was in 
May, 18G4. After keeping them in jail for a few days, 
ihey were taken to Camp Vance, at Morgantown. Here 
they were kept for about a month, and were then taken 
to Richmond, Va., at which place Nick was tried by a 
military commission for desertion, and also for recruiting 
inside of the Confederate lines for the Federal army. The 
commission found him guilty of the charges, and he was 



112 A r.ACE FOR I;iB£ETY. 

ssntenced to be shot ; but before tUe sentence was carried 
into execution, Nick and fourteen of his recruits made 
their escape. After getting out of prison, they divided 
into three squads. The squad tliat Nicl^ v/as in, number- 
ed five persons. They had been travehng for two months, 
and living as best they coukT, wlien, on the night previous 
to my meeting with tlicm, tliey were being piloted liy a 
pretended friend, until they came to a certain road, when 
their guide turned back, saying they could easily find the 
road now. On going about one liundred yards further, 
they were suddenly surrounded by Home Guards, and 
Nick and his brother taken prisoners, by being knocked 
down with guns, after the loads had been fired at them. — 
The other three made their escape. On finishing his 
story, he asked me what I thought of a North Carolina 
Federal. "Very well," I answered. "I think you will 
make a Union soldier yet." 

Y/e now resumed our race, keeping a little southwest. — 
Often we were so hemmed in by mountain cliiFs that it 
seemed impossible to proceed, and we were almost ready 
to give up in despair. ^Ye had frequently to assist each 
otlier in getting down the rocks.and mountain sides, and 
would climb the peaks by the aid of the laurel and ivy 
bushes, that grew on their sides. Thus the day passed 
away, without our having anything to eat, except chest- 
nuts; but we concluded, that what would fatten rebel 
hogs, would keep Yankee soldiers alive. We gathered a 
considerable quantity of chestnuts, and selecting a seclud- 
ed spot where we vv^ould not likely be observed, we made 
preparations for ])uilding a fire. \ic had but two match- 
es with us, and those I had carried from South Carolina. 
If they should fail to strike fire, we stood a good chance 
of spending a cold night, for the air v/as quite frosty, and 
Gregg, in taking his hasty leave, had forgotten his cover- 



ITNPLEA8ANT TRAVELING. 113 

It. How careful were we then, with our matches, and 
' > our joy, they proved true ! We soon had a good fire, 
roasted and ate our chestnuts, and getting some dry leaves 
for a bed, laid down before the fire, and were, ere lon^fr, 

: joying a sound sleep and pleasant dreams. 
When daylight came, v/c again started on our journey, 
stopping occasionally to gather chestnuts. We sometimes 
had to pass through laurel bushes-so thick, that we could 
not walk erect, but had to frequently get do'.vn on our 
hands and knees, and crawl through the bushes, for thirty 
or forty rods, when it would grow thinner, and we could 
straighten np and get over the ground somewhat faster.— 
At other times, Vv'e would encounter what is termed, 
' ' lire-scalds," where the timber is ail burnt off, and grown 
up with osage thorils, briars, locusts, etc. To go through 
such places, was very trying on one's p'atience. When 
we would come out, it would be with bleeding hands and 
faces, and the clothes almost torn off us. But onward wc 
pushed, for if wc stopped in the mountains, death was our 
jdmost certain doom. Without the means of making a 
fire, and bears and other wild beasts roaming through the 
mountains, made our situation very disagreeable to con- 
template. If wc left the woods, and took to the roads, 
we were almost sure of being recaptured. We suppos3d 
that, at the rate wc were traveling, we were going about 
seven or eight miles a day. 

We came to a small hut in the mountains, Vvdlh a clear _ 
ing of about two acres around it, and sat down to watch 
if any prt'soiis were to be seen about it. Kot seeing any 
one, we went in and found it uninhabited. I found on a 
siiolf a piece of punk, or touch-wood. This was of great 
value to us, as we could now strike; fire in the old fashion 
ed way, with flint and steel. One of ray companions ha^^ 
•> i-^v>-> lack-knife, ^'vl v;^ '-'Mil ] fiun |*lf'n<y oi'n'nfR In iljo 



114 A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 

mountain. We also got, in the old house, some thread, 
and a piece of wire, out of which, we made a needle, by 
bending one end around to hold the thread, and with this 
simply constructed sewing machine, managed to sew the 
rents in our clothes. 

The evening of the second day of our escape came. AYe 
had not yet procured anything to cat except chestnuts, 
and our gums became very sore. The third day was pass • 
cd much the same as the first and second, but, toward eve- 
ning, we had the good fortune to find a small patch of corn 
and pumpkins, in a little valley. No house was to be 
seen. One of us watched, while the other two crossed the 
fence. One gathered an armful of corn, and the other 
took a large pumpkin. We now made off to find some se- 
cure place to make a fire and cook our corn and pump- 
kin. While looking for a place, we discovered the ruins 
of an old house, around which wcie some apple trees, 
heavily laden ed with fruit. Surely, thought I, a kind 
Providence has not forgotten us. As the children of Is- 
rael were fed and guided through the wilderness, we frit 
that the same kind hand was aiding us. We gathered some 
apples and selecting a convenient place, we soon had a 
large, cheerful fire. We now parched our corn, and roast- 
ed our pumpkin and apples, and while we were partak- 
ing of our rich repast, with thankful hearts, w^e felt almost 
as merry as though w^e were sitting around our own fire- 
sides at home. 

After eating heartilj% wc lay down to sleep, not forgot - 
ing to place our guns under our heads. These guns, that 
wc liad taken from the guards, were of the Austrin and 
Enfield patterns. The next morning we roasted some 
n^ore of our pumpkin, and some apples, ate our l)real»- 
last, and started on our race much refreshed and with re- 
jK-wod hopes. Wc consulted as to the propriety of find- 



OrE PAP3. 115 

ing a road, aud traveling on it, as we were so heartily tired 
of traveling tLroiigh the mountains without a road, and 
over places almost impassable, w^here, it seemed evident, 
no human had ever been before. Nick had some white 
paper, I had a pencil, and a thought struck me that I 
would write a pass, and we would play Home Guard, 
while Gregg would act the part of prisoner ; and we would 
try what effect it would have on the citizens. Here is a 
copy of the pass : 

"Head Quarters, 14th Battalion, N. C. Guards. / 
"Ashville, N. C, Oct. 1st, 1864. \ 

"The hearers of this, James Robins and Edward Young, 
are hereby authorized to go to Wilkes Co., N. C, in search 
of William Waddens, and Albert Rice, who deserted their 
commands in August last. To return by 25th inst. 
George Adams, Captain, 
Co. E, 14thBatt.,N. C, G. 
Approved, 

J. L. Henry, 
Col. Commanding Batt.'' 
Being thus provided with the necessary papers, we were 
prepared to try the confidence game on the citizens. We 
soon found a road, and with our prisoner between Nick 
and myself, we marched along in true military style. — 
Presently a house appeared in view, and a few minute's 
^valk brought us to the door. Its occupants were an old 
man and his wife. We told them we were home guards 
on the hunt of deserters, and said we would like to have 
something to eat. After obtaining some refreshments, we 
set out again. The old man told us there were some Un- 
ion l)ushwhackers in the country, and that the home 
guards were out after them, but he could give us no in- 
formation of the whereabouts of either, 

A little l)efove dark, we came in sight of n house, and 



116 A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 

thought we had better find out, if possible, where the 
home guards were. To do this without much rlslv, we 
had to use sodic strategy to get the man of the house out 
some distance, so that we might tall^ with him. Getting 
into the edge of the woods, and liecping our guns hid, we 
slipped along until we were discovered, and then disap- 
peared in the woods. Pretty soon, we saw a man run- 
ning toward ns through the woods. "We hid until he came 
close to us, when v/e stepped out, and, pointing our guns 
at him, bade him halt. This unexpected command, and 
the presence of two guns pointing toward his breast, fright- 
ened him so terribly, that it vvas with difiiculty he could 
speak. He, however, stammered out, "II sur-r-ren- 
d'r, " and, taking his hat from his head, threw it on the 
ground, in token of submission. We then asked him liis 
name. " Benton Coffee," he gasped. V/e next accused 
him of being a bushwhacker, which he promptly denied. 
I then produced my pass, and told him we were home 
guards, and wanted to go to Ashville, and had to be then^ 
with our prisoner by the 2oth ; and as we had but two 
days more, we would be compelled to travel after night, 
and wanted him to direct us on a road we could travel 
without being interrupted by either bushwhackers or home 
guards. lie said he supposed our pass all right, though 
he could not read it, as he was no scholar, and that he 
was a home guard himself, and /would put us on a road 
that we could travel without being disturbed. After giv- 
ing us minute directions in reference to the road, he invit- 
ed us to come to his house and get supper. We thanked 
lilm for his kindness, but said we were not hungry, and 
bidding him good evening, we started. 

When we had gone about a mile on the road, he direct- 
ed iis, we all three suddenly stopped, as though we had 
been ordered to halt. We looked at each other for a mo- 



OUR SUSPICIONS. Il7 

ment when Nick said, " we have gone far enough on this 
road." "So say I," I answered. We both were im- 
pressed with the belief that if we continued on tlie road we 
would bo captured before an hour, but Gregg thought 
nat — he was tired of the hills and brush. "Didn't you 
see the white of that fellow's eyes ?" said Nick, — "lio 
mistrusted who we were, or at least suspected us of being 
bushwhackers, and sent us down here to get picked up, 
and I shan't go any further on this road," said he, and 
suiting the action to the word, he stepped below the road 
saying, " come on, boys," and led the w^ay through the 
woods, down the mountain, for about a mile. On turning 
a point of the hill we came into a cove where we were 
completely hid from view, from the surrounding coun- 
try. " Here," said Nick, " Fll roost to-night." 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Camping in a Cove ; An Incredulous Widow ; A ^' Fussy ^' Old 
Man; A Supper "As is a Supper;" Frij^htfu! Dreamt; 
Falling in with Deserters and Conscripts ; Wayside Incidemts; ^ 
Limestone Cove ; Sensation Rumors ; Comfortable Quarters ; 
Raiding Expedition. 

It was quite dark when wc arrived at the cove, and had 
been so dark during our tramp through the woods, since 
leaving the road, that we had to lind our way more by 
feeling than by sight. 

Nick brought out his flint and steel, and a fire wa?^ 
soon crackling and sparkling quite lively, illuminating the 
fir and pine trees very beautifully, by the side of which 
fire we spent the night rather pleasantly. 

With the morning sun, we arose and renewed our race 
for liberty, though suffering considerably from hunger, 
having had nothing to cat but chestnuts and sour grapes 
since noon the day before. "VVe soon came to an old wid- 
ow's, who, believing us to be home guards, looked on us 
scornfully. Let her principles be what they may, we con- 
cluded to tell her a true story ; but it was pretty hard 
now to make her believe that wo were really what wo 
represented ourselves to be. She accused us of wanting 
to find out where her son was, and said "you're jist a 
lettin' on you're Union men.'" Wc asked her if she knew 
where the home guards were. "Laws, yes," she said, 
" there's lots oji 'em down here on .Jolin'? rlyer. a w^itclb 



A "fussy" old max. 119 

in' for all folks as cross the Kidge on the Flat Top road." 
We looked at each other and conld not help congratula- 
ting ourselves on our lucky escape from thom, for that was 
the road we had been directed to take. 

The old lady said that she had no bread or meal, but 
had sent to the mill that morning. After getting her con- 
YJuced that we were not home guards hunting her son, 
slie brought out a loaf of bread for us, saying that hei- 
daughter-in-law had left it for James. She then gave us 

directions to her brother, T. W , who, she said, Avould 

give us something to eat and find a place for us to sleep 
at night. It was nearly night when we reached Mr. 

W 's house. His son had just come in from a bear 

hunt, bearing a line, fot, yearling bear. As we had not 
tasted any meat for several days, the sight of the young 
bear, as it hung, dressed, on a tree in the yard, almost 
made our mouths water. The old man was a "fussy," 
clever old felIov\'. He received us cordially, and bid us 
take seats while he would run down to the mill (a few 
rods off,) and grind some corn, "for," said he, "you 
must be hungry," Then turning to his family, said, "Jim 
.ro down to the tater patch and dig a basket of tatcrj, and, 
mamma, you milk the cows and git supper, and v, e'U 
s(Km have a supper, as is a supper." 

In due time supper was ready. It consisted of bear 
meat, sweet potatoes, corn bread, and milk. ^Vo ate so 
much that I reall}^ felt ashamed of m3'self and companions. 
After supper was over, the old man told us Ave might 
sleep in the house if wc wished ; but if we were afraid to 
do so, he would take us to the barn. We preferred going 
to the barn, and Avere accordingly conducted there by the 
old man. The next morning I asked Nick how he had 
slept. ' ' Could'nt sleep at all, for dreaming of big black 
dogs," said he. ' He had eaten a little too much bear meat. 



120 A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 

It was at this place that the Jestes' received the first 
news of their three comrades who had escaped when they 

were captured. They had been to Mr. W ''s, and had 

gone to Mrs. P 's, whither wc were directed to go. — 

As we were going to Mrs. P 's we met her going to 

mill. She told us that the boys whom we sought had been 
there but had gone again, though she thought we would 
find them at Mrs. C 's, as there were several Union- 
ists there getting ready to go to TenneSiSee. We then 

turned our course toward Mrs. C 's, which place wc 

found, after considerable rambling through the brush and 
hills ; and when we arrived, we found several deserters 
and conscripts, and one escaped prisoner, named David- 
son, who had escaped from Florence the day before I did. 
These men purposed starting for Tennessee the next morn- 
ing, but as their road lay in a different direction from the 
one the Jestes wished to travel, and wishing to get to 
Tennessee as soon as possible, I parted company with 
Nick and Gregg, concluding to accompany my new made 
acijuaintances. 

Mrs. C — r~'s husband had gone to Tennessee to join 
the Union army ; and all true Union men were welcome 
to her humble cottage. The next morning we started 
quite early for Crab Orchard, Tennessee, where William 
Campbell, a United States recruiting officer, was waiting 
fov us. The distance was about fifteen miles, and my 
shoes having given out. it was with difficulty that I could 
keep up with the company. I had nothing on my feet 
but rag moccasins, and they were now so nearly worn out 
^hat I was soon obliged to fall in the rear and travel alone. 
About three o'clock in the afternoon, I reached the house 

of Mr. B , the place of rendezvous of Campbell and 

Ids recruits. Mr. B provided me with a pair of shoes, 

but my feet being so very sore, find t]ie ';ljoc« too l.;lrg',^ 



AMoNG I'RIKNb^s l2l 

for me, it was with difficulty I could travel at all. As Mr. 
B was overrun with company, I accepted an invita- 
tion to go and stay with Mr. Wm. P that night. It 

was no trouble to liud friends Dow, that I was in Tennes" 
see, for nearly all the citizens were true Union men. 

The next moruing the crowd assembled for a march to 
Limestone Cove, a distance of eighteen miles. We num- 
bered fifteen in all, and had several guns and revolvers, so 
that in case we should meet any r-ebel cavalry we could 
show some resistance. Those of us who were armed were 
put before to act as an advance guard. This arrangement 
suited me very well, as I stood a better chance of getting 
provisions from the houses, before the main body would 
come up. A little while after dark we reached Limestone 
Cove, and began to scatter through the neighborhood for 
supper and lodgings. I, with two others, stopped at the 
liouse of Mr. M. B — — , and got supper ; but as it was 
close to the road, we did not like to stay there ; so we 
v-:oYe directed to another place where we obtained lodging. 
Our host informed us that he thought we had better not 
sleep in the house, as the rebels had frequently visited 
Jiim m the middle of the night ; but I told him I would 
risk it, and laid down before the lire for a night's rest. — 
He, however, would not venture to stay in his house, but 
took some blankets, and, in company with a neighbor, 
went out to the woods to spend tlie night. 

As we were making arrangements, the next morning,^ 
for pushing ahead, the news came that forty rebel cavalry 
^vere in Greasy Cove, twelve miles below, and were com- 
ing up to Limestone Cove. This produced a great sensa- 
tion. Those of our parly who had gone further down, 
were coming back, badly frightened. I was now at the 
house of Mr. M , who was apparently as much fright- 
ened as any one. Some now commenced making arrange- 



122 A RACK FOR LIBERTY. 

nients for a retreat to Crab Orcliard, but this was a change 
in the programme that I could not endorse. I had trav- 
eled too far, and endured too many hardships, to tliink of 
going back when I was now within Fifty miles of the Fed- 
eral lines. I was eating breakfast at M 's when word 

was sent me that all were going back. " I can't help it," 
said I, "I must finish my breakfast." Presently David- 
son came in and asked me if I would go back. I told him 
I would not, so long as there was any corn in Limestone 
Cove to be had for a gun, — that, rather tlian go back, I 
would trade my gun for corn, then go in the mountains 
and live on corn and chestnuts. He then said that he 
would stay with me. We enquired where we could stop 

for a few days, and was told that a Mr. B , who lived 

about half a mile from the road, and had an unoccupied 
and unfrequented house on the farthest side of his place, 
would probably keep us. Thitlier we went. It had been 
snowing all that morning and was by this time two or 
tLree inches deep, so if the rebels had come they would 
have had but little difficulty in finding us. We made our 

case known to Mr. B and proposed to help him do 

liis work if he would board us and find some place for us 
to stay at night, until tiie way would be clear for us to go 
through to Bull's Gap, the place v>iicre the Federal forces 
were stationed. He readily accei:)ted our proposal, and 
we were conducted to a house on the north end of his 
farm, into which, as he said, he had " toted a lot of corn." 
We husked the corn, and used the husks for a bed. ^Vt. 
liad a lire built in the house, and, with the addition of 

uome blankets which Mr. B I'ui'nislied us, made our 

quarters very comfortable. 

We remained at this place 'several days, helping Mr. 
B — — husk his corn, and doing various little turns, when 
one day we were visited by three Union soldiers, who had 



RAIDING EXPEDITION. 123 

c^ome from Creasy Cove, and said it was impossible for us 
to get tliroug'li for some time. Their names were Cham- 
pion and Case, of tlic 5th Ind. Cavalry, and had been to 
North Carolina on special service — their comrade's name 
w^as Michaels, and he belonged to the 3d N. C. (Federal) 
regiment. They were making up a crowed to go back to 
North Carolina on a raid. This suited us very well. There 

was a Lieutenant named 11 , (a brother of the rebel I 

had helped to disarm,) who was in the neighborhood with 
a lot of recruits, several of whom were pretty well armed. 
Case proposed raising a party and, uniting, place the ex- 
pedition under Lieut. II 's command. The arrange- 
ments were accordingly made, and the expedition, num- 
bering forty, were soon on their way to North Carolina. 
Although our number was quite large yet, only fifteen 
of us had guns — live were Spencer rifles, the rest Ken- 
tucky, Austin, and Enlield, and squirrel rifles and shot- 
guns. The most of our number were recruits w^ho pre- 
ferred going to staying ; and a number of citizens, with- 
out arms, went along, as they said, "for the fun of it.'' 



• CHA.PTEII XY. 

Kfviding ; Two of Our Men Ca2:)turefl : A Skirmish ; The Men 
Released ; Helping Ourselves ; Return to Limestone Cove ; 
A Clever Family ; Our Number Increased; Greasy Cove; A 
Threatening Aspect ; A ''Galvanized Unionist;" The Eed- 
eral Lines Reached ; Our Appearance ; At the End of My 
Race ; Closing Remarks. 

OCR expedition started. Two daj-s of uninterrupted 
marching found us in North Carolina. ^Ve made our way 
toward John's river — there being some pretty good stock 
there that would be of value to us. One day while W(i 
were traveling in the vicinity of John's river, some of our 
men who were without arms straggled away from the 
main body, and two of them were captured by home 
guards. As soon as the others returnti?d with the news of 
their comrades' capture, we resolved to release them, if it 
lay in our power to do so. The armed portion of us set 
out immediately, and about midnight we came in sight of 
the rebels' camp fires. Creeping as close to them as we 
could without being discovered, we lay down in the laurel 
bushes until morning. When daylight came we ascer- 
tained their number to be about sixty. Just as the sun 

was rising, Lieut. H gave the order to fire on them. 

The whole fifteen of us fired at ou(.'e, and kept it up for 
five hours, — the rebels all the while doing their best. Be- 
tween eleven and twelve o'clock the rebels gave way, 
ieavins three of their dead on the field. We afterward 



ilELPINCr OURSELVES. 125 

learned tlunt they liad taken three other dead away with 
them. Of our number, not one was hurt. After the skir- 
mish was over, the two prisoners who had been captured 
the previous day came to us, — they having escaped during 
the fight. From the citizens we learned that the home 
guards were commanded by Major Bingham, of whom I 
have before spoken. He said that the Yankees outnum- 
bered him, and that he had to light all of Col. Kirk's reg- 
iment ! In reality, he had been fighting but fifteen men. 

We now went to an old farmer and took from him three 
good mules ; then to another, and killed some of his best 
hogs, with which we supplied ourselves with rations; 
then to a third, and took what clothing we could find that 
would be of use to us. Some got pantaloons, some coats, 
and others took bed-quilts. Having accomplished the ob- 
ject of our raid, we turned our steps once more to Ten- 
nessee. 

A march of two days brought us again to Limestone 
Cove, near the Unaka mountain ; but on arriving at the 
Cove, we learned that the way was not yet clear to get to 
the Union lines ; so we scattered among the citizens. 1 

took up my abode for the time being with Mr. M n, 

who had emigrated from Canada to East Tennessee about 
eight years previous. This family was looked upon as 
one of the first class, which was perhaps owing to their 
refined manners and education, for they were highly edu- 
cated, in comparison with their mountain neighbors, who 
were rather rude and ignorant. The family consisted of 
six persons: — The old gentleman and lady, Lizzie, David, 
and William and his wife. Neither William nor David 
had enjoyed the comfort of a night's sleep in the house for 
two years. They had to lay out in the mountains, in 
caves made for the purpose, and be ever on the watch for 
rebel cavalry ; for they knew not what hour the rebels 



126 A RACE FOK LIBEETY. 

might dash iu upon thorn aud capture and kill them, as 
was their custom with the leading Union men. While one 
worked, another had to stand picket for him. I spent m)- 
time more pleasantly at this place than at any other while 
in the South ; but my stay here was of short duration. — 
T!ie news came that the Yankees had come up the railroad 
as far as Jonesboro', and the rebels having fallen back to- 
ward Virginia, the way was clear for us to get through. 

Giving my gun to David M . to bushwhack rebels 

with, and Ijidding the family a hearty farewell, I made an- 
otlicr start for the Union lines. 

Tills place where I was at was on Indian creek, in Car- 
ter county, E. T. I had not gone far until I fell in willi 
others who were going through the lines, so that ]jy niglit 
the number was forty-two, — five of whom were escaped 
prisoners. Three of us had escaped from Florence, S. C. ; 
the other two, from Salisbury, N. C. I would like to give 
the names of these escaped prisoners, but have forgotten 
all, except Albert Davidson, of the 8th Ind. Cavalry, and 
Holmes, of the 1st U. S. Sharpshooters, of New York. 

When night came we found ourselves in the neighbor- 
hood called Greasy Cove, ou Chucky river. The crowd, 
who were North Carolinians, began making preparations 
for camping for the night ; but as I had very poor healtli, 
and no blankets, I thought I would find lodging iu some' 
house. Accordingly, Holmes and I started off' in search 
of something more inviting than laurel brush. We had 
not long to hunt, as we soon found the house of Mr. 

B , a firm Union man,— one who had suffered much 

Un- the sake of his country, and was ready to suffer more. 
On arriving at this house, we found that some of our com- 
pany had preceded us. Champion, Case and Davidson 
were there' with the three captured mules, and were mak- 
hig themselves quite at home. Mr. B thought it 



A THEEATENING ASPECT. 127 

hardly safe to stay in the liousc, but woukl let us be our 
own judges in that matter. As we had tln-ee Spencer's 
and two revolvers we told him that we would risk it. So 
saying, we made ourselves as comfortable as possibl;^ 

About eight o'clock we were aroused by some persons 
calling at the gate. On going to the door, I discovered a . 
party of men — about a dozen — with guns. They told us 
to come out, as they wanted to see us. I stepped back 
into the house and said, ''Here's work for us, boys, get" 
your guns." With our guns and revolvers in our hands, 
we stepped outside the door and demanded of them what 
they wanted with us. " Come out, come out," they an- 
swered, " if you are Yankees, you are all right, but if you 
are rebs we have a settlement to make with you." From 
their style of talking, we thought they were persons try- 
ing to capture us. We then asked them what command 
they belonged to ; but they only answered by asking to 
what command we belonged. I then went up to the fence 
where- they were standing, and commenced examining 
llicir clothing and accoutrements. I found they were fully 
equipped with the U. S. outfit, and asked them if they 
vrere Yankee soldiers. They replied that they were, and 
Ixilongcd to the 3d N. C. regiment. We then made our- 
selves known, and right glad were we to meet with this 
squad of Uncle Sam's boys. 

Holmes and I had been seen going there in the evening, 
and as we had on gray clothes we were taken for rebel 
soldiers ; and this squad of Federal soldiers being in the 
neighborhood, and being apprised of our whereabouts, 
had started in pursuit of us. They were North Carolini- 
ans on their way back to their homes to see their families, 
and were going prepared to clean out some of the rebels 
in their neighborhood. 

The next morning we started quite early; but as the 



1^8 A iiACS F(JR LIBERTY; 

crowd ot Campbell and Joliusou had gone ahead of lis, We 
wisely concluded that our party'of live was large enough. 
With three mules, we could ride by turns, and so get 
^■aloug very well. We traveled all day, down the Cbucky 
river, and stopped at night with a man who said he was a 
rebel at the beginning of the war, but seeing the error of 
his way, had turned in favor of the Union ; but I think 
his Unionism was only a sham pretense, to save his prop- 
erty. He was what was termed a "galvanized Union- 
ist." But with all his secession principles, he used us 
\try well, and seemed to sympathize with us. He liad 
once been a man of considerable wealth, but the fortunes 
of the war was against him, and he had become very poor. 
We were now within ten miles of Henderson, which 
was occupied by a brigade of Union troops, under com- 
mand of General Gillem ; and it being the eighth of No- 
vember, the day of the Presidential election, we were very 
anxious to push forward. Holmes and I crossed the river 
by means of a canoe, and took a by-road for Henderson, 
while Case, Champion and Davidson, with their mules, 
pushed on to Bull's Gap. 

We reached the Union pickets about two o'clock in the 
afternoon. A corporal was immediately called, who took 
charge of us, supposing us to be rebel desertexs ; but we 
had a different tale to tell. We had much the appearance 
of rebel deserters, it is true. Holmes was arrayed in a 
full suit of rebel uniform, with which he had escaped 
from prison at Salisbury, by passing out as one of the 
guards. My own shabby suit was a mixture. I wore 
tlie blue pantaloons, but it was hard to tell of what ma- 
terial they originally consisted, as they were so ragged 
and so terribly patched. IMy coat was a regular "nig- 
ger cut," and my hat of the true Southern style, made 
under the Jeff'. Davis administration. 



IX^^tHE rXIOX LIXES. 12^ 

As we were goiDg to Headquarters, escorted^lby the 
corporal, we met a battalion of cavalry just starting on a 
scout. And, ob, what emotions of joy did I experience, 
on once more beholding the flag of my country, as it was 
carried along by the color-bearer ! In spite of my exer- 
tions to control my feelings, tears filled my _ eyes, and 
coursed down my checks. I was'ovcrwhelmed with grati- 
tude to God for His providential care over me through' all 
my wearisome race, and thankful that I still had a coun- 
try to live in and fight for, over which the starry emblem 
of liberty so proudly waves. 

The soldiers, taking us for rebels, commenced whoop- 
ing and greeting us with, " Well, Johnnies, you have got 
tired of fighting for JefF. Davis ?'' " Concluded to come 
in at last, have you ?" " Think Uncle Sam the best mas- 
ter yet, eh?" and asking us various other questions so 
fast that it was impossible to answer them. IloJmes grew 
very angry and began cursing his rebel uniform ; but I 
told him that he should not curse anything that had done 
him so much service. 

We were ushered into the presence of Gen. Gillem, 
Avho received us with great respect and attention, ' and 
asked us many questions. Pie then said, ",Well, I sup- 
pose you would like to vote for ' Old Abe ?' " . We re- 
plied that we would ; and after receiving the tickets, went 
to the polls and deposited our ballots. The General then 
ordered some rarions for us, and an ambulance to con- 
vey us to Greenville, saying that he thought we had walked 
far enough. Upon estimating the distance I had traveled, 
I found it to be near four hundred miles. 

We reached Greenville about dark, and were shown the 
place where the rebel Gen. Morgan was killed, and also 
the man that did the deed ; viz., Andrew J. Campbell, of 
the 13th Tennessee Cavalry. We spent the night with 



130 A RACE FOR LIBERTY. 

the 13th Tenn. Cavalry. The next morning we Avere 
furnished "with transportation on a wagon train lo IJus- 
sellvillc, where W€ took the cars for Knoxville. ^Ve ar- 
rived there on tlic 11th of November,- and reported to 
Brig. Gen. S. P. Carter, Provost Marshal of East Tennes- 
see, who received us very kindly, and famished us with 
ciotliing and transportation to Chattanooga. On arriving 
at this pUice, I made application for leave of absence to 
go home on furlough, but not being able to get one for a 
few days, liastencd to the Telegraph Office aud sent the 
following signiticant dispatch : 

"D. C. BURSON, 

Salincville, Ohio : 

" Have escaped prison. — 
Am in reasonable health. Will be home soon. 
(Signed,) Wm. Burson, 

Company A, 32d O. V. I."' 

Having come now to the end of my " Race for Liber- 
ty," I have but little more to add. On December 8tli,-I 
received a furlough for forty days, and was soon at hoin(\ 
sweet HOME. Of my happy meeting, with wife and lillle 
ones, and social re-union with other dear friends, I leave 
to the reader's imagination, as the pen is inadequate to ex- 
press the feelings of a heart overflowing with joyful emo- 
tion. 

In the foregoing pages, I have given a plain, straiglit- 
forward account of my Capture, Imprisonment, and Es- 
<ape. I have not exaggerated my own sufferings, and the 
sufferings of my fellow iirisouers ; neither have I sought 
to shield from odium, a cause founded upon human op- 
pression, and so lost to virtue and honor as to wantonly 
Htarve its captives, and murder its helpless victims. 

The incidents related in the first two chapters of this 
woi'k, are matters of history, compiled from the most re- 



FINIS. 131 

liable sources, and suck as came under my own personal . 
observation. The balance of the vvork is a simple narra- 
tive of my adventures in the South, in which I have en- 
deavored to portray men and things as I found them, that 
the reader may the more clearly understand the actual 
state of affairs, during the time of the Great Rebellion. 

In pubhshing this " war-book " at the present time of 
peace, it is not my object to foster a spirit of enmity or 
antagonism, against our erring southern brethren, but to 
strengthen the bullworks of Liberty, by showing the hein- 
ous character of Secession, and thus " make treason odi- 
ous,'' that it may not be nurturedfinto new life, to^ again 
sting the heart of the Nation. 

To the many kind friends who assisted me in my es- 
cape, I would here'rcturn my heart-felt thanks, and shall 
ever remember them with feelings of gratitude. I have 
avoided giving names, as much asjDossible, for prudential 
reasons, but the ^circumstances related are literally^^true, 
and will be readily recognized by the parties concerned. 

I now submit tliis'little book to an appreciative public, 
trusting it may be kindly received, and that its inlluence 
will be for good. 



ADDENDA. 



GHERMAK'3 MARCH TO THE SEA. 

[The foliOTving beautiful song was written in Asylum 
prison-yard, Columbia, S. C, by Lieut. 8. H. M. Byera, 
Adjutant 5tli Iowa Cavalry. V/e are indebted for a copy 
to Hon. S. C. Kerr, member of the Oliio Legislature, who 
was First Lieutenant of Co. D, 12Gth O. V. I, and a pris- 
oner at Columbia at the time the song was composed. In 
furnishing it, Mr. Kerr writes : 

"I enclose the song you request, which I hare tran- 
scribed from a copy in my possession, which, tiirough the 
politeness of Adjutant Byers, I was peiTQitted to copy 
from the original. At the time this song w^as composed, 
(Januaiy, 1865,) there were about eleven hundred of us 
prisoners at Columbia, S. C. For over four and a half 
months, we had not received an ounce of meat, and but 
limited rations of unsifted corn meal of an inferior quality, 
with a litth salt, and some sour sorghum molasses. Many 
of us were but thinly clad and suffered severely with the 
coL1, having no shelter, save that furnished by our blan- 
kets, which were needed to keep us from freezing. Such 
were the circumstances surrounding us when the news of 
Sherman's success reached us, through the favor of a ne- 
gro slave ; and almost instantaneously came the song. — 



"i'oLi may imagiiir, bnt cannot compreliend, tlie eiithusi- 
umi with ■wliicli it was receiYed ; for it gave liso to tho 
liope that ' our briire boys ' would soon release us. Thos o 
days and scenes of prison life, as well as the arduous du- 
ties of the volunteer soldier, and the mental anxieties oT 
tlie kind and loved ones at home, have passed away, and, 
1 pray God, never to return.'"] 

Our camp-fires shone bright on the mountaui, 

That frowned on the river below ; 
"While we stood by our guns in the morning 

And eagerly watched for the foe — 
Yvhcn a rider came out from the darkncE.'^, 

Th at hung over mountain and tree, 
And shouted, " Boys, up and'be ready. 

For Sherman will march to the Sea. "• 

Then cheer upon cheer for bold Sherman, 

Went up from each valley and glen. 
And the bugles re-echoed the music 

That came from the lips of the men. 
For we knew that the stars on our banner, 

More bright in their splendor would be ; 
And that blessings from North-land would greet us, 

When Sherman marched down to the Sea. 

Then forward, boys, forward to battle. 

We marched on our wearisome way, 
iViid stormed the wild hills of Eesacca, — 

God bless those who fell on that day I 
Then Kenesaw, dark in her glory, 

Frowned down on the flag of the free ; 
But the East and the Yv'est bore our standards, 

And Sherman marched down to the Sea. 



ADDENDA. 135 

?till on-vrard we pressed till our banner 

Swept out from Atlanta's grim walls, 
And the blood of the patriot dampened 

The soil where the traitor flag falls ; 
But we paused not to weep for the fallen, 

Vt'ho slept by each riyer and tree, 
Yet we twined them a wreath of the laurel. 

As Sherman marched down to the Sea. 

Oh ! proud was our army that mnraing, 

That stood where the pine darkly towers, 
"When Sherman said, ''Boys, you are weary, 

But to-day fair Savannah is ours." 
Then sang we a song for our Chieftain, 

That echoed o'er river and lea, 
And the stars on our banner shone brighter, 

When Sherman marched down to the Sea. 



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